Don't Look Back in Anger
by expectopadfoot
Summary: There are two similarities between Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass. Both of them are partial to their mothers and both of them hate each other passionately. When they are elected as the Head Boy and Head Girl of Hogwarts, can they put aside their personal issues and work together? AU with Neville as BWL. Rated M for multiple reasons.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling and the title of this story belongs to the band Oasis. Anything you recognize is not mine._

_Warnings: Contains some OOC characters, with Neville as the BWL. Very much AU. Beware, this story is rated M._

**Prologue**

"Mum?"

The excited teen stuck his head inside his parents' room, but it was deserted. Running down the stairs, the young man entered the kitchen.

"Mum?"

This time he found her. She turned around from the counter to see the flushed face of her eldest son. Well, only son, actually.

"What is it dear?"

He didn't reply. Instead, he handed her a piece of parchment. Curiously, she took it and read it once.

Then she read it again.

The boy was carefully watching his mother's expression and he was rewarded as her shock gave away to a huge smile. The woman came forward and hugged her son tightly, a few drops of tear running loose for the occasion. A happy one, of course.

"I'm so proud of you honey!" She said in a slightly cracked voice and stood on her toes to kiss his forehead.

Any usual teen would be embarrassed by their mother's smothering, but as it happened, Harry Potter was not a usual teen. In fact, Harry was actually relishing the affection.

"Thanks mum. I didn't expect it to be honest. I figured Macmillan or Boot would get it. Even Neville's done loads of stuff. But who thought I would be the Head Boy?" he said with a grin.

The red headed witch smiled widely before saying, "I did. Apart from the pranks, there wasn't any good reason for you not to become the Head Boy. Now go on and owl your dad. He would like to hear it, too."

He picked up an apple from the basket and munched on it as he headed back upstairs.

"Harry?" his mother called him back.

"Yeah mum?" he came back to the kitchen. She was wearing a loving smile.

"What gift would like for this?" she asked, indicating the letter in his hands.

"Are you happy, mum?" he asked her.

"Of course I am, sweetie. I'm incredibly happy and proud." She was almost glowing as she replied.

"That's all I ever wanted, mum." He said quietly.

She couldn't and didn't bother to stop the tears that came to her eyes. Engulfing her son in another fierce hug, she even allowed a silent sob to escape. Unlike the last time, these tears were bittersweet.

Mother and son held each other for a long moment, before they let go of each other. She patted his cheek as to say run along, and he did so.

"Hey mum?" he called as he was exiting the kitchen for the second time.

"Yes honey?"

"I wouldn't mind getting a new CD player. Just saying."

She chuckled.

"You got it!" she called out.

Harry almost dropped his letter in shock. Did she just agree to that? For over a year and a half he has been subtly dropping hints to her about the new portable CD player, but every time she refused, reminding him that he already had one, which was in excellent condition.

And all it needed was to become the Head Boy?

Shaking his head, he went to find Hedwig. James Potter was about to get good news.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

Neville Longbottom rubbed his temples in frustration. His scar was prickling again and it was giving him a killer headache. Professor Dumbledore had requested his gran to teach him Occlumency, but the elderly witch couldn't seem to find the time for him. He had purchased a book on the subject via owl order, but he didn't understand even the first page and had an even worse headache for it. He wondered if Hermione would be able to help.

He could feel that Voldemort was excited. He had a dream about torturing a Death Eater named Rowle a few hours back. Voldemort was apparently fixing up the blunder of the big blond man.

Not that any of it was Neville's business.

He wanted nothing more than to have a happy and carefree childhood with his parents and possibly his friends. But the thin scar shaped like a lightning bolt that stubbornly dominated his forehead made sure that he got none of that. Just before the term ended, Dumbledore called him to his chambers. Obediently, he went at the appointed time. Then there was a conversation that would redefine his whole life.

"Sit down, Neville." The Headmaster said kindly. He obliged. Dumbledore gazed at him for a few seconds, giving him the feeling that he was scanning him or something. With a deep sigh, the old man started speaking.

"What I'm about to tell you now isn't pleasant. I had the option of telling this to you when you were eleven. I had the option to tell this to you every year since that. Yet I waited, because I wanted you to have a childhood. I know that your grandmother might not have given you the love your parents would, but that doesn't mean she cares any less for you. I wanted you to grow up as normally as it was possible. I am aware that your childhood wasn't stellar by any means, but it was better than the load you would have had to carry on your shoulders. I hope you will see to forgive the old man for his mistakes." He paused gravely. Neville was getting a bit impatient.

"Sir, what is it?" he asked the man who seemed to have aged a good fifty years right before his eyes.

"You know that your parents were murdered by Voldemort. Did you ever wonder why?"

The timid Gryffindor looked thoughtful for a moment.

"No Professor, I didn't. Maybe because I thought Voldemort didn't need a reason to kill someone."

Dumbledore chuckled dryly.

"That is unfortunately true, my boy, very true. However, there _was_ a particular reason that he came after Alice and Frank. You see, before you were born, there was a prophecy..."

Twenty minutes later, Neville had a blank look on his face.

"So it's either me or him, isn't it?" he asked flatly.

"That it is." The Headmaster replied regretfully. The Chosen One showed no emotions.

"I'm not a great believer of prophesies, but I guess he will never stop coming after me, would he?"

It saddened Dumbledore to admit that the boy was right. He wished he could hide Neville from Tom Riddle until the war was over, and offer the poor boy the life he deserved. But Riddle would continue to hunt him as long as the prophecy wasn't fulfilled and one of them ended up killing the other. He could only nod.

"I don't have any powers." Neville said bluntly. While he was definitely improving more than he thought he would, he didn't possess any power that Voldemort didn't know about. Come to think of it, the words had a double meaning.

"Don't be so-" Dumbledore started, but Neville interrupted him.

"Does it mean that he doesn't know about the powers I have, or that he doesn't know that I have those powers?"

"The words can be interpreted in a hundred ways Neville, and many of them don't require any kind of violence. However, Riddle wants to settle this the crude way, and he won't care about word plays."

"Who is Riddle, Sir?" the boy asked curiously.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was a student here around sixty years back. Today, the world knows him as Lord Voldemort."

"Wait, is this the same person-"

"Whose diary Miss Weasley came to possess. Yes." Dumbledore finished.

"Poor Ginny." He muttered, thinking of the cute redhead back in second year, where even he could tell that she had a crush on the Boy Who Lived. Thankfully, she got over it after she mustered the courage to tell Neville about what the diary did to her. They went to Professor Dumbledore, who destroyed the diary and the school was safe again.

"Indeed. Now I have decided to take part directly on your education, Neville. From next year, you'll have additional lessons from me."

"But what about NEWTs? I don't think gran would let me live if I did poorly on my NEWTs, Voldemort after me or not." He said miserably. Dumbledore's jaws hardened. Augusta Longbottom was quite simply the reason Neville was so lacking in the confidence department. The unbelievably proud and stubborn old woman wouldn't hear to any of Dumbledore's requests of stopping to push the boy further.

"_I won't allow him to let down the name of the Longbottoms."_ She would reply arrogantly before impolitely dismissing him.

"I'm sure you will do fine with your NEWTs, Neville. The lessons would be probably once or twice a month." He assured the young man before him.

Neville nodded.

"Go enjoy the remaining hours with your friends. If you have any questions, come to me directly. Try not to use owls or the floo."

Neville nodded again and stepped out of the room, feeling way older than when he entered.

And now, in his room, he was dressing up for a social gathering his grandmother hosted. He didn't bother telling her the prophecy. He had no desire to have additional burdens that his gran would undoubtedly place on him if she was told of the prophecy.

_I am supposed to kill a dark lord, and here I am, unable to tell my gran that I don't want to attend a fucking party._

The Boy Who Lived felt like throwing up thinking about how pathetic he was.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

Not far away from the Longbottom Manor, a girl was humming contently as she brushed her shoulder length blond hair. She was not usually this cheery in the morning. To be honest, she was never this cheery. But she had some really good news today, and couldn't help but act like a content woman.

Of course, she wouldn't shriek or dance like Tracey would have done. As she liked to put it, emotions are not dresses that should be flaunted around.

"You seem happy."

She turned to see her younger sister looking curiously at her. Astoria was one person who could read her like an open book, despite her emotionless mask that fooled everyone. But she could keep secrets. Not that this was a secret, anyway.

"I'm Head Girl." Daphne said with a barely covered grin. Squealing, Astoria ran to her sister and hugged her tightly.

"Wow Daph, great job!" she congratulated her elder sister, who smiled brightly in response. It was so rare to see Daphne smiling, that the young girl could probably count the number of times she did. In one hand.

"I have news, too." Astoria finally said as they broke, her eyes shining.

"Prefect?" guessed Daphne, and she was spot on. The two sisters shared a hug again, this one lasting a little longer than the previous. Astoria was pleasantly surprised by the extra display of affection from her sister. It was very rare to see Daphne like this.

"Time to tell our parents?" Astoria asked and Daphne nodded at her to go first.

After a few minutes, both girls went downstairs together, holding hands.

"Mum?"

As they entered the kitchen, they found their father writing something hurriedly, dressed in his working robes and chewing on a piece of bacon Blinky made. Gabriella Greengrass wasn't home.

"Good morning father. Where is mum?" Daphne asked the busy man, her smile now gone. Stephan Greengrass wasn't the favourite parent of either girl. Not that he was cruel or anything, he loved his daughters in his own way, but he didn't make it a secret that he would have preferred a son who could carry on the Greengrass name. And the cunning politician never had much time for his daughters, though he wasn't opposed to spending hours comparing the marriage contracts that were offered for the two beautiful girls. Daphne felt that their father saw them more as a healthy sheep to be sold than anything else.

"Morning, girls. Your mother has some errands to run. So do I, and I'll be leaving now." He got up and went towards the floo jar.

"Daphne's Head Girl and I'm a prefect." Astoria blurted out. Her father nodded absently.

"Right. Okay, I'll see you later." He said before the green flames engulfed him and he was gone.

Astoria looked around awkwardly. Daphne went forward and placed a hand on her younger sister.

"Mum will come home soon and we can tell her together." She softly said. Astoria nodded absently.

"I'll be in my room, then." She suddenly stood up and briskly walked towards the staircase and Daphne didn't stop her.

"Blinky." She called and the house elf appeared.

"Mistress calling Blinky?"

"Call me when mum comes back."

"Blinky will do that, mistress." The elf bowed and then disappeared.

Sighing, Daphne went back to her room. Her good mood was gone. She decided to read ahead in transfiguration. The Head Girl couldn't afford to drop her grades, after all.

She brightened a bit thinking that at last she could put Potter in detention if he bothered her again.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

"...and I can put that Greengrass girl in detention now if she bothers me again." Harry finished brightly, while Sirius and James shared a look.

"Who bothers you, dear?" Lily Potter came in with a large plate full of sandwiches. She carefully set them down on a table and then pecked James in the lips before sitting down next to him.

"Just that Slytherin bim- a girl, I mean." Harry quickly corrected himself.

"You two have corrupted my son!" she accused James and Sirius. Sirius tried to look innocent and whistle, but James replied cheekily, "Guilty as charged, my darling."

"The couch has been unoccupied at night for a while." Said Lily threateningly, while James tried to hide behind Sirius. "So why is she a bimbo? Is it because she is in Slytherin?"

"No mum! I have friends in Slytherin. It's just we have a long and bad history." Harry explained.

"Bickering like a married couple." Sirius supplied and Harry glared at him.

"Married couples don't stick the other to the top of the Astronomy tower all night, do they?" he asked darkly.

To James and Sirius' amusement, Lily blushed crimson and tried to look anywhere but her husband's or Harry's eyes. Harry gaped.

"Really mum?" he nearly shouted.

"Um... in my defence, we weren't married that time." She tried weakly and Sirius roared in laughter. Harry and James chuckled at the redhead's embarrassment.

"I WANT THE WHOLE STORY!" Harry shouted at his mother, who was narrowing her eyes at Sirius and James. Finally, she sighed in defeat.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell it. You know that your git of a father always bothered me in the school..."

As Lily recalled the story with occasional helps from the two Marauders and Harry drank in the story like a large sponge, a third Marauder was, after a long time, seeing hope.

He spent around sixteen years in Azkaban, and that tends to take a toll on your sanity. Peter Pettigrew started screaming when someone opened the door of his cell. He didn't stop when he saw the familiar yet terrifying face of the Dark Lord, whose face looked even more repulsive than ever.

"Get up, Pettigrew. It is your lucky night." The cold, high-pitched voice called before disappearing, but left the door open. Half expecting a dementor to swoop in, he fearfully approached the door. He could hear the mad cackle he became quite familiar with: the signature sound of Bellatrix Lestrange. Britain's most terrifying witch was free again.

"We don't have all day to spare, you worthless vermin!" Rookwood spat at him as a silent Rodolphus Lestrange followed him.

As quickly as his small and weak legs would allow, he followed the two men, flinching at every odd gust of wind. He wasn't sure if he preferred to die rather than being free again. Leaving Azkaban was good, but being the Dark Lord's dummy for his practise of the Cruciatus Curse was nearly as unpleasant. Nearly.

Back in the Potter residence, Harry Potter was helping his mother with the lamb that was to be cooked in his honour. He stood on a bench to reach for jars of spices and stuff, and his mother was giving him small things to do. 'Hold that pot for me, dear', 'please hand me the onions', 'can you take that to the counter for me, honey?' and such.

James watched his son and wife with a strange smile on his face. Of course, all those works could be done much quickly and neatly with magic, but Harry tried to help his mother whenever he could. And since he was not allowed to do magic yet, they were mostly done in the muggle way. At first Lily insisted that she was capable of doing her works by herself, but Harry wouldn't listen. James had then pulled her aside for a few moments when Harry was otherwise occupied.

"What's wrong, James?" she asked him curiously. Her husband hadn't snatched her to a dark corner since they graduated from Hogwarts. The memories of those times nudged a light blush to creep on her face.

James kissed his wife before answering. He needed to calm her down in case she got mad.

"Listen Lils, I know you can do your works and take care of yourself. You know that, even Harry knows that."

"But he always-" she started in a low voice which was poisoned with a bit of hurt. Did her son think she was a fragile doll?

"Let me finish." James interrupted. "We all know that you are a very capable and strong witch, and that you have a bum to kill for." He winked when she swatted his arm playfully. But he pressed on. "But you should understand what it means to him. He just wants to help you anyway because he loves you. Don't you understand what it was like for him?" he asked her pleadingly.

Lily was confused at first. James could relate so easily because, according to Mrs. Potter, he tried to help with household chores, too. Their elf was not happy, but James didn't care either way. Why did Harry have the urge to help her in everything she did?

Then it hit her. _Oh gosh I'm stupid! _She chided herself. She promised herself to accept his help whenever it was possible.

"I understand." She told her husband, who looked relieved. "I'm sorry I didn't see it earlier. Thank you, James."

"Anytime, luv." He smirked before they went back.

"Open the oven for me, Harry." Lily called as the leg of a lamb floated near the electric oven.

"What's mummy cookin?" the three years old Melanie Potter appeared behind her mother's legs.

"Harry and mummy is cooking lamb, sweetheart." Lily replied, bending down to kiss the little girl's forehead.

"Not just cooking anymore, mum." Harry called.

Lily turned around to find that she had pushed the marinated lamb leg to Harry's face while she was talking with Mel. Needless to say, his face did not smell nice.

"Sorry dear." She said sheepishly and Harry waved it off like it was nothing.

Neither James nor Sirius bought his innocent expression, and they weren't disappointed as a moment later Lily shrieked, "YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT MISTER!"

All of them roared in laughter as Harry still had his mother in a hug from behind, rubbing his face in her auburn hair, covering it with the slimy delicacies. Melanie was happily giggling away.

"Love you too, mum!" Harry shouted and Lily giggled.

"Oh you!" she affectionately patted his cheek as he rested his head on her shoulder.

James smiled at his son and his wife. Harry always showed an extraordinary amount of affection towards his mother, and James could understand why.

Having to live without your mother for nearly twelve years tends to have that effect on people.

* * *

_Soooooo…. I'm back. Kinda. The plan is to split the whole plot into two stories. I'm glad to say that the first story is complete, and I intend to post a chapter each week, if not more frequently. However, each time I read through the chapters, I find a lot of errors, so if anyone is interested in being a beta, please PM me._

_Reviews will (probably) result in frequent updates._


	2. Not You, Potter!

**2\. Not You Potter!**

"Be careful, Harry. You know better than anyone how dangerous these times are. Don't let your guard down when you are in Hogsmeade."

"I understand, dad."

"And remember that being a Head Boy makes you a role model for the younger students." Lily said. "Have fun, but be responsible and try to have an open mind. If I hear that you are holding grudges against that Greengrass girl, I would be very disappointed. Even your father became way more matured when he was Head Boy, and Merlin knows that you are far more responsible and mature than he was."

"Hey!" James complained, but his wife merely smirked.

"I'll try my best, mum. If she doesn't bother me first, I'm not going to pick a fight with her, or anyone else for that matter. And I hold grudges against other people, and they are not in Hogwarts."

Lily sighed. She knew that her son wouldn't let it go, and if she was honest with herself, she wouldn't let it go either if their places were switched.

"I guess I'll have to live with that. But be careful. And if you need to know something, use the mirrors. We'll try to keep them with us all the time." Harry nodded.

"And make sure that you have your wand and your wits with you all the time. Don't let your guard down when you are out." James advised, carefully parking the car between two other.

They climbed out of the car and James subtly placed a lightweight charm on Harry's trunk. Melanie, who was now sitting on Harry's shoulders, pulled his hair as he bent downwards without notice.

"Ouch! Sorry Mel. I could've done it myself, Dad." Harry complained to his father, who smirked.

"You have to learn to do it without anyone noticing."

"You think I can't do that?" he smirked back, and James laughed.

"Come on, boys." Lily called, checking her watch.

"Yes honey." Harry called.

"Coming, mum." James followed. Lily looked a bit unsure, but didn't say anything.

"Got her again." snickered James, and Harry hi-fived him.

"Mummy, they fooled you again!" Melanie shouted with glee.

Lily rolled her eyes but looked a bit embarrassed all the same. James and Harry were almost identical except for their eyes and the hint of grey hairs in James' head. Since their voices were also identical, they liked to wind her up when both of them talked together.

"Very funny. Now walk quickly." She grumbled.

As they entered platform nine and three quarters, Harry saw Su Li talking with her parents.

"Hey Su!" he called, and she smiled brightly when she saw her.

"How are you doing Harry?" she asked as they came close.

"I'm good. Hi Mr Li, how's your business going?"

"Hello Harry. Business isn't that good, especially after the breakout from Azkaban." The Chinese man said sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that. How are you, Mrs Li?"

As Harry was exchanging pleasantries with the Li family, Lily and James appeared with Melanie holding both of her parents' hands. They waved at the family and went forward to greet them.

"So are you going to China this summer, too?" Mrs Li was asking Harry, who shrugged.

"I'm not sure. With the Death Eaters on loose, mum and dad will be busy, and I'll fight with them this time. I'll write to Zhi if he could come over in Christmas. If he does, we can have dinner together."

"He will like it. I don't think he has anything else to do other than meditating on that temple."

Harry smiled at the memory of the temple. It was one of the most influential places he ever visited in his short life.

It all started at the end of his third year, when he came across a few Chinese Runes he didn't understand. Everyone either skipped it, or simply memorized the thing. Even Hermione Granger admitted that she had to memorize the lot to pass the exam. But Harry felt that he should understand it. During the summer, he bought a couple of books about Chinese Runes, which gave him a vague idea about the mysterious runes. But what interested him was a very minor detail of the book. He had almost skipped over it.

'_... since most Chinese wizards and witches do not own a wand, they avoid the European practise of simple spells like heating charms or lumos. It is to be noted that...'_

He ran to his father, who was sitting beside a pregnant Lily.

"Is she okay?" he whispered to the dark haired man.

"I'm okay, dear." Lily replied for him and Harry looked sheepish.

"Hi mum. Did I wake you?"

"No Harry, I wasn't sleeping. You look excited."

"Erm... yeah. Actually I wanted to ask something if it's alright." He looked at his mother for assurance. She nodded at him to go on.

"I was reading that book on Chinese Runes I bought that day. There was something about Chinese people not owning wands. Does it mean that they can do magic without wands?"

James looked thoughtful, but Lily chuckled.

"A wand is not the only magical instrument, Harry. As far as I know, the use of wands is not that common outside Europe and North America." Lily explained.

"Yeah, I know that Africans are more comfortable with staff, Australians and Japanese use rings, but I don't know what the Chinese use." James added. Harry nodded in understanding.

After the school opened, Harry cornered Su Li, whose origin was, he knew, in China. She didn't know what they used, either, but she wrote to her parents, and they told her that Chinese monks made sure their secrets weren't exposed to everyone, so if someone wanted to watch or learn Chinese magic, they had to learn it from a monk and then promise to keep it a secret. Outsiders rarely knew about it because the monks are terribly hard to convince that a learner was trustworthy, and the lessons itself were very taxing for those who weren't familiar to the discipline from their childhood.

Harry relayed this piece of information to his parents, and to his surprise, they asked him if he would like to visit China in the next summer. He felt like he would burst in happiness.

In China, Su's father, who decided to accompany the Potters to a vacation to their homeland, took Harry to a powerful monk he knew. He was called Master Zhi. And he was a right bastard.

When Mr Li told the old man that Harry wanted to learn, he merely glanced at him and went back meditating, ignoring him completely. But Harry was as stubborn as they came. He told Mr Li that he would wait and he could leave. Leaving a portkey to the place where he was staying, the man left, expecting Harry to be back after a few minutes.

When Master Zhi finished his meditation after three hours, he was irritated, and a little intrigued by the boy waiting quietly.

"What do you want, child?" he asked. Harry wanted to scowl at being called a child, but he didn't.

"I want to learn." He replied flatly. The old Master shook his head.

"You cannot learn." He said in a dismissive way.

"Why not?" Harry shot back.

"You do not have the power or skill."

"You couldn't walk when you were born. Did your mother refuse to teach you how to walk because of that?" Harry said irritably, not caring if the man was offended. Master Zhi, however, was simply amused. He was above being offended by mundane words.

"I will consider if you pass a test." He said and the teen perked up.

"Bring it on!" he said with enthusiasm.

"Run down this hill and then climb back up without stopping. If you stop, you can take that portkey and go away." He smirked at the boy, knowing that he would most probably faint on the way. If he didn't flee before that. The view of the two kilometres jagged, uneven climb was quite discouraging.

After two hours, Harry was panting like a dog in front of a thoroughly surprised Master Zhi. The boy should have fainted several times the way he ran up and down the mountain. Quickly, he gave him a cup of tea to drink. Wordlessly, he chugged the whole cup, burning his tongue in the process, but the effect was instantaneous. His breathing slowed down and he stood up straight, looking like he had merely taken a short walk in the park.

"Couldn't give something cooler, could you?" he said darkly to the Master, who chuckled. This one held lots of promises.

"What is your name, child?" he asked the young boy.

"Harry Potter. And if you call me 'child' one more time, I'll tell my mum what I had to do today, and let me tell you, when she gets going even your secret magic won't save your bum."

The old man chuckled. This one was definitely worth teaching.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

"You better get on, Harry." James said tensely. It was three minutes to eleven, and Harry was still catching up with his friends.

"Coming, dad. See you on the train, Justin!" he waved at the Hufflepuff, before turning to his family.

"I wonder who the Head Girl is. I expected Hermione or Padma, but they are not it." He said to himself and then turned his attention towards the three Potters looking at him.

"Take care squirt. I'll talk to you soon." He hugged his little sister, who looked like she was about to cry.

"Bye dad. If you are going on some mission, can you just tell me beforehand so that I won't worry?"

"Will do, son. And take care of yourself. You know it better than I do."

Harry nodded and briefly hugged his father. Then he turned to his mother.

"Bye mum." He said simply before hugging lily tightly. When they drew apart, she kissed his forehead.

"As I said, be responsible, and study hard. I love you."

"I love you too, mum. Take care. Love you, dad! Love you Mel!"

He shouted before climbing the train. He waved at them one last time, blowing a kiss at his mum, who pretended to catch it out of the air. Smiling, he found the compartment where Dean and Seamus were already seated.

"Oi! Keep this with you for a while. I gotta run to the Head's compartment." He shoved his trunk at Dean.

"Wait, you mean you're Head Boy?" Seamus shouted at him, but he was already gone.

He brought out the Head Boy badge from his pocket and pinned in to his chest. He didn't want to flash it around in front of his friends before it was necessary. Smiling and nodding at familiar faces, he reached the compartment door. He took a deep breath.

"Here we go." He whispered to himself and chuckled lightly. Then he opened the door and the person sitting there looked at him. Her eyes travelled down to his chest where the badge was pinned.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" she shouted in outrage. Harry closed his eyes and tried to calm down. This year was already looking bad and the train barely left the station.

"What the actual fuck are _you_ doing here, Greengrass?"

The blonde looked at him with utter disbelief.

"Who in their right mind would make _you_ the Head Boy?" she asked to no one in particular. Harry was already feeling like strangling her, but his mother's words were still ringing in his ears.

"I could say the same thing for you, you dumb, blonde cow. But as it happens, I am stuck with you and you are stuck with me. Now, the prefects are going to arrive very soon. I don't reckon it's a good idea to show them how much we love each other, do you? What with setting an example and such crap."

Daphne snorted. "Wow, Potter is being the mature one. The world should be ending any second now."

"Oh sod off, you miserable cow. You mind?" he asked through gritted teeth, subtly nodding at the bunch of prefects starting to gather outside the compartment. With a last glare at him, the girl's face became expressionless. As much as he hated to admit it, he really admired and respected her for this ability to never betray any emotions. Well, except for when she was yelling or glaring at him, of course.

The twenty-four prefects entered the wide compartment, and there were small mutterings.

"Harry! You are the Head Boy?" Hermione Granger shouted in surprise. "You could've told me earlier."

"And ruin the surprise? No thanks." Harry chuckled.

"We have a Slytherin Head Girl? Are they barking mad?" Ron Weasley, the seventh year prefect shouted in indignation. Harry was never a huge fan of his redheaded roommate, and now the git was a prefect.

Perfect.

"If you have concerns about that, you can voice them to the Headmaster." Harry replied coolly and Daphne did a double take. Potter was defending her? _Maybe he will be a lesser pain in the arse this year,_ she thought hopefully.

"I'm surprised that you, of all the people, were made Head Boy, Potter." Draco Malfoy sneered. "I expected someone who had some class. Not a halfblooded loser like you."

Harry waited for a second to see if Greengrass would return the favour by defending him.

_Of course not. Don't expect Greengrass to stop being a bitch unless the world is ending._

"I hear ya, Malfoy. But unfortunately, I _am_ the Head Boy, so if you have a problem with that, hand me that shiny badge on your shirt and leave us. I assure you that you won't be terribly missed." He reached out a hand for the badge, but Malfoy didn't show any signs of giving it. With a smile, he retracted his hands. Malfoy muttered something to Pansy Parkinson.

"For Merlin's sake, Malfoy! Stop the 'my father will hear about this' already. We all know that story by heart. And all of us do not share your unhealthy obsession with your father, however handsome he still might be after the short stay at Azkaban." Harry smirked in a satisfied way, as Malfoy went red and tried to splutter something.

"Now the nonsense is over," Daphne interrupted, "we are going to assign your patrol schedules. Does anyone have a problem with these?" she handed out parchments to everyone.

"When did you do all these?" Harry whispered in her ears, feeling a bit guilty.

"When you were catching up with your fan base." She whispered back.

"Thanks, Greengrass. And I'm sorry I didn't come earlier."

She raised an eyebrow as if waiting for the punch line. Harry rolled his eyes.

"And I'm also sorry you don't have a fan base or even real friends to catch up with." He finished with a smirk. She sneered at him.

"I don't want to do patrols with Weasley!" Parkinson shrieked.

"Nor do I!" Ron shouted.

"Then hand me the badges and leave." Daphne said coldly. Both of them looked like they were about to argue, but a nudge from Hermione and Draco respectively kept them shut.

"Good, now that it's settled, the old prefects may go. The new ones stay back. There will be a meeting to discuss further duties next Friday. Thank you." Harry gestured at the door. Ten people stayed as the others exited one by one, some waving at Harry, some just nodding.

The eight fifth year prefects, plus Ron Weasley and Pansy Parkinson looked at the pair of them, expecting a speech.

"You want to do the honour?" Harry offered the blonde.

"You are the one for talk, Potter." She shot back. Harry wanted to punch her, but he composed his face to a smile, and turned to the newcomers.

"Welcome, and congratulations. As you know, only two students from each house are selected per year to be prefects, and this year, you were the best duo from your respective houses. As for the seventh year prefects, you were the best choice when one of your houses became the Head Boy and Girl. Well done, all of you.

"Now, the duties of prefects are not simple. They are responsible for showing the first years their respective dorms, preventing unpleasant incidents like fights, helping the students whenever they need it, and lead them to safety in case of an emergency. You will have certain privileges that include using the prefect bathroom, extended curfew and assigning detentions if a student deserves it. However, if you are found to have abused these privileges, you will be stripped of your position, and you will have that record when you apply for a job. Any questions?"

No one said anything and Harry nodded.

"Very good. Now the passwords to the prefect's bathroom and the dorms are written on your schedules and would adjust themselves when a password is changed. Thank you. You may leave."

As they left, Harry heaved a sigh.

"Nice speech, Potter."

Harry turned towards the Head Girl. As usual, her face was expressionless, with a measured tint of arrogance.

"Look Greengrass, we both know that we have our differences." He started.

"What an understatement." She muttered darkly and he chuckled.

"I agree. We had several memorable rows and countless minor ones, but fact remains that we are Head Boy and Girl. I won't deny us the pleasure of shouting at each other at private, but all the prefects and students look up at us. We are the adults here, and somehow I don't think arguing in front of them was something the Headmaster or Minnie would be happy about. I'm really sorry that I didn't help you with the patrol schedules. We have to work together despite our personal problems. Please don't make it harder for both of us." He pleaded her.

"Why are you suddenly acting all responsible? You inhaled some fumes or something?" she asked suspiciously. Harry rolled his eyes.

"No. My mum and dad were Heads in their day, and my mum hated my dad. She even stuck him from the Astronomy Tower like you did. The difference is my dad loved my mum, and I hate you. Okay, maybe hate is a strong word, let's just say that if you were on fire, I'd cast an _Aguamenti_ to drink some water and leave you alone."

"Good to know, but I do hate you. So what's your point?"

"You wound me Daffy-Poo! OUCH! Watch your hands, woman! So my mum told me that the Heads should be more responsible and keep an open mind, and here I am, instead of hexing you to the next week, I'm trying to reason with you." He finished with a long-suffering sigh.

"Still a mummy's boy?" she sneered.

"Yes, I am. And if you say one wrong thing about mum, I'll kill you. Trust me when I say I know a lot of unpleasant methods." He said with a cold glare.

Daphne rolled her eyes at him, not being unfamiliar with death threats from the raven haired boy, but it didn't escape her notice that this time he had a resolved look almost daring her to try him.

"Yeah, whatever. Okay, so I'll be civil to you in front of company only if you are, but what the hell do you mean by shouting in private? I don't plan to spend private time with you."

Harry looked at her suspiciously.

"You do remember that Heads have a separate joint dorm, don't you?"

He had to snicker at the look of horror in her expression.

"You forgot _that_? I guess it's not that surprising. After all, it's not too hard to erase a blonde's memory. All you gotta do is just blow in her ear."

Daphne looked murderous as she pulled out her wand and cast a hex at him while Harry bolted, laughing like a madman.

* * *

_Shout out to __**JohnMonty**__ for being the first reviewer of the story. Since the last chapter was more of a teaser, hence the fast update. Also, since this AU is quite different from the canon, I'm not going to explain all the differences in one chapter. Some will be cleared up gradually, while some will be left to the readers' imagination._

_Your reviews keep me going._


	3. Pleasant and Unpleasant

_A/N: A guest reviewer has pointed out that another story with the same name as this already exists. Now I can't say I'm really surprised seeing that Don't Look Back in Anger is a timeless classic song by Oasis. However, a shitload of stories with the same name actually does exist in the site, and I had thought of an alternate name for the story. So let me know if you think I should keep the name or change it._

**3\. Pleasant and Unpleasant**

"Wow, this place is bloody awesome!"

She couldn't help but agree. It looked very warm and comfortable. They were standing in the little common room, which had comfortable armchairs, a soft sofa, a table and a huge window that overlooked the Lake and the Forbidden Forest. On one side, two staircases led to the two bedrooms, and there was a fireplace in the other side, with a lion and a serpent painted artistically on the sides. Beside the entrance, there was a small frame, which was now occupied by the picture of a woman in midnight blue robes. McGonagall had explained that when she wasn't there, the frame would act as a one way looking glass to the corridor outside.

"Would you set up the password now?" the miniature version of the portrait of the Blue Mistress, who guarded the Head's Dorm, asked.

Harry looked at Daphne and asked, "What do you say, Greengrass?"

She gave a shrug that said 'might as well'.

"So did you have anything in mind?" he asked. She shook her head.

"What about you?"

"Sure, how does 'no nose no life' sound?" he asked.

"What? What on earth is that supposed to mean?" she asked with a scowl.

Harry looked a bit disappointed. "You know; old Voldemort has no nose. So it's a way to make fun of him, saying that he is a lowlife pedophile with an unhealthy obsession with Neville."

Daphne's mouth fell open. That boy is going to be murdered! But she was unsure if he was being serious or not. She knew that the Dark Lord looked like a snake and was indeed nose less, but...

"You're not serious, are you?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Nope. That's my godfather you're looking for." He replied happily. The mutt would be proud.

"What?"

"Dumb blonde never gets a joke." He grumbled.

"Hilarious. Ha ha ha." She drawled sarcastically.

"Now she gets it." Harry told the amused portrait of the Blue Mistress who chuckled.

"You are so much like your father, dear. I swear if your eyes weren't green I would think that James Potter is back again. You even have both badges like him." The woman said fondly, gesturing towards the Head Boy and the Captain badges on his uniform.

"My lady, you and I are going to have a very long chat someday." He winked at her.

"Hate to break this up, but I need to go to my room, so you mind setting the password a bit quickly?" the Head Girl asked irately.

"You suggest one if you don't like my one, then."

"How about 'Potter should die'?"

"How about 'Blondes should fly'?" he shot back.

"What?"

"You know, blondes have airy heads, so they should fly." He tried to explain. She stared at him coldly.

"Hey Blue Mistress, you know what's the similarity between a smart blondes and self-casting wands?"

The Mistress shook her head in amusement.

"Both are heard of, but never seen."

Daphne looked tired by now.

"Where is that responsible Head Boy who was all matured up a few hours ago?" she wondered loudly.

"Wishing he wasn't stuck here with you. Hey Blue Mistress, can we call you something shorter? It's a mouthful name for conversations. No offence."

"None taken. I guess you can call me Maggie when there is no company. That was my real name."

"Right. Nice to meet you, Maggie. Call me Harry."

Maggie smiled.

"So about the passwords..." she asked, looking at Daphne, who looked like she had a headache.

"Go on, Greengrass." Harry encouraged her. "I'll go by anything you set as long as it's not too predictable."

She thought for a few moments, and then said with a sly smile, "Mama's boy."

Harry gaped for a moment, and then burst out in laughter.

"Mama's boy it is. Good one Greengrass!" he extended a palm to her for a high five, but she pointedly ignored it.

"Oh don't get your arse so tight. I could feed you coals and you would crap out diamonds." He complained.

"We. Are. Not. Talking. About. My arse." She said through gritted teeth.

"Well, you can't ignore the fact that you have a great arse, despite being so tight and all." He commented offhandedly.

"I'm going to kill you if you say that again."

She said it with some serious venom in her voice. Mentally picturing his mother's glare, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Umm... sorry . I was just fooling with you, and your arse seemed like a nice thing to fool with if you know what I mean..." he laughed feebly, but quickly stopped at the look in her face.

"Fuck off, Potter." She said coldly, and quickly disappeared to her room. Harry cursed.

"Have you two been like this always?" Maggie asked curiously.

Harry shook his head. "Not always. Didn't know her before third year. Had to share Arithmancy project with her and let me tell you, she was a royal bitch back then. Though I have to admit that I have been a total jerk with her too."

"What happened? Bad breakup?"

"Merlin no! Do we look like we were ever decent to each other? No, it was different. I had friends from Slytherin and I... er... kinda assumed that all the Slytherins are like my friends. So I tried to chat with her and she gave me this cold, blank look, which I took as a personal insult. I tried again, but she didn't even nod. So I... um... called her some names, and next thing I know I was sprouting boils all over, and it was a war since then.

"I've been really mean to her at times, but she wasn't a white fluffy bunny either. I think she gave more than she got, taking advantage of my slight aversion of the idea of attacking a girl. I had to think before I cast a hex, and she used that time to hex me with whatever came at the tip of her tongue. Once she used a curse that almost lost me a few bags of blood, but for some strange reason, when Madam Pomfrey asked, I said I was attacked from behind. I don't know why, I felt that it wouldn't be right to get her in trouble.

"Good thing was, she avoided me for almost two months after that. She never said it out loud, but I guess that in her own way, she was apologizing to me, and for some even more strange reason, I forgave her and never took revenge for that particular event."

"So what was the bad thing?" Maggie asked and Harry chuckled.

"Well, technically it was a good thing too. Our war cooled down, and instead of hexing each other to oblivion, it was just the verbal insulting. Don't get me wrong, I still dislike her for being so arrogant, bitchy and rude, but I kinda miss the fun in the hexing spree against her." he smiled fondly at the memories.

Maggie shook her head in amusement. Potters sure knew how to make a girl mad at them.

"Well you two had a bitter relation for years, but now you have to be responsible. I suggest you try to apologize. It wouldn't be good if the Head Boy and Girl are glaring at each other on the first day of school." She suggested.

"Apologize? Are you crazy? She would hang me to the Astronomy Tower all night again!"

Maggie wanted to hear the details about the first time, but she decided to save it for another time.

"She is not a thirteen-year-old anymore, dear. And neither are you. Just go."

Harry nodded at her. He really didn't feel like apologizing to her again, but he guessed Maggie was right. It was his last year at Hogwarts. If he couldn't build more bridges, he shouldn't at least burn the existing ones. He went up the stairs leading to her room (to his relief, it didn't become a slide like the normal girls' dorms) and stood in front of the closed door which had a silver plate with 'D. Greengrass, Head Girl' written in green letters. Releasing a breath, he knocked.

No answer.

He knocked again and she got no response this time, either. He tried to open the door, but it was locked.

_Shit! This must be bad._

He waved his wand at the door to cast a charm he learnt from his father. He used it when Lily wouldn't open the door and he had to apologize. He winced at the similarity, but decided to go with it.

"Hi Greengrass. I know you can hear me, but don't worry, I can't see or hear you. So I reckon what I said to you earlier wasn't a great thing to say, and given our history, I could claim it was almost polite. But I'm not claiming that. I just want you to know that I'm really, truly and sincerely sorry. I'll even make puppy faces if you open the door, but don't feel obligated. In fact, don't open it. I don't think I can stand the look in your face when I'm apologizing. So where was I? Umm... oh right. I am really sorry for what I said and I didn't mean anything by it, but you already know that. Err... so yeah, that's it. Goodnight, Blondie."

He turned around to leave but he heard the door open. He stiffened, expecting and bracing himself for a curse. To his surprise, she called him.

"Potter?" he turned around.

"Hey there." He tried to sound cheery, but she didn't even notice.

"I'm sorry, I overreacted. But you are still a jerk."

Harry nodded in acceptance. "Wanna have a butterbeer?"

"We are not friends, Potter. Goodnight."

"Bitch."

"Wanker."

They turned away at the same time, both smirking slightly.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

"Hey mate." Dean Thomas called at him when he entered through the portrait hole.

"D-man! How's it going?" Harry called back brightly and Dean groaned. Back in their third year, Dean had tried to get everyone call him 'D-man', which they still used to tease him about.

"Aw c'mon Harry, would you let that go?"

"Not a chance, mate."

Dean shook his head and went the other way and Harry laughed at him. Gryffindor common room looked the same as ever, and Harry was already missing it, knowing that although he was still a Gryffindor, he would definitely not spend as much time here as he did before.

"Hey Mione." He called his bushy haired friend, who was, to absolutely nobody's surprise, reading.

"Harry! Congratulations on making Head Boy. Didn't have a chance to say it before." She said with a smile.

"Thanks! I was sure you would be the Head Girl. Why someone would choose that cow Greengrass over you is beyond me." He complained as he plopped down beside her.

"Be nice." She admonished. "I was hoping to get the badge, but now I think of it I am probably better off being just a prefect. I could use the extra time to prepare for NEWTs."

"But you are so much better than Greengrass!" Harry whined and she chuckled.

"Not really. We are pretty much evenly matched in terms of grades and performances." She admitted and Harry rolled his eyes.

"I meant as a person. And aren't you supposed to the brightest witch of our generation?" he asked. Hermione actually laughed at that.

"Oh Harry, that was something Hagrid said to cheer me up. I love Hagrid, but he doesn't really have much of a clue about academics, does he?" she asked in a lower voice, as if Hagrid was about to sneak up on them and eavesdrop.

"I heard Ron say that." He pointed out and it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes.

"Yeah, when we were dating."

Realization dawned on Harry's face as he realized that he never heard Ron say that once they broke up. "So how are things going? Are you still seeing that muggle?"

"No." Hermione said without much enthusiasm. "I mean he was cute and interesting, but there are so many things I could not talk to him about, it was driving me crazy. Also, he made some racist jokes when we were out eating, and I decided that he is not really worth the trouble."

"I see." Harry nodded. He was about to speak up when Parvati showed up.

"Hiya Harry!" she said brightly. A bit too brightly.

"Hey Parvati." He replied a bit cautiously.

"Congratulations on making Head Boy. You deserve it!" she said passionately.

"Erm… Thanks, I guess." He replied uncertainly. She grinned brightly at him.

"See you around, Harry!" she thankfully left with that, but not before squeezing his arm and letting her hand linger for a bit more than necessary.

"So someone has a crush on you." Hermione stated as a matter of fact before laughing out loud. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that was weird. She has never been like that before. I mean, she knew I had a crush on her back in fourth year and she practically avoided me. Why the sudden change of heart?" he wondered.

"I think she changed her mind last year after she saw you shirtless last year after you won the Quidditch Cup." Hermione speculated. Harry nodded.

"That makes sense. I am quite… dishy!" he ended with a fake pose that made Hermione laugh.

"Shut up, you prat!"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

"Lily Potter."

He waited for a few seconds and his mother's face appeared on the mirror.

"Hi mum."

"Hello darling. How are you?"

"As well as you saw me in the morning. You?"

"Missing you, of course. But healthy as a horse."

"I miss you too, mum. Hey, guess who the Head Girl is?"

"No idea. Who is it?"

"Greengrass! Can you believe it?"

"No kidding. You remember what I told you earlier, don't you?" Lily asked a bit sternly.

"Yes mum, I remembered. She was about to go for my throat, but I explained that being Heads gives us responsibilities and we shouldn't fight in public."

"In public?"

"Come on mum, you really think we can go without having at least one serious argument a day? Merlin, we already had one a few minutes back! Though this one was unintentional."

"What did you do?" she asked in exasperation. Harry looked indignant.

"Hey! Why do you assume it was my... okay no need to glare, we are talking like adults here." He backtracked quickly.

"What did you do?" she deadpanned.

"Ah... well, it's like I... ah... made some inappropriate comments about her derriere and she didn't see the humour in that." He finished the last part quickly and braced himself for the shouting.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! HAVE I TAUGHT YOU NOTHING? WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU COMMENT ABOUT A WOMAN'S ARSE, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME?"

"Hey, you don't complain when dad compliments your-"

"Are you dating her or planning to marry her like your dad?" she asked irately and he almost dropped the mirror in shock.

"Mum!"

"Then you don't get to make inappropriate comments about her arse. Understood?"

"Yes mum."

"Good boy. Now go and apologize to her right now."

"I already did."

Lily was surprised. "Really? You apologized? Did she forgive you?"

"Always the tone of surprise! Yeah, I really apologized and she apologized back for overreacting. And I also asked her if she wanted to have a butterbeer as a sign of peace." Lily smiled at this.

"She refused, I assume?"

"That would be a safe assumption."

"Did you kiss and make up?" Sirius appeared in the mirror, grinning wickedly.

"Sirius!" Lily and Harry yelled at the same time.

"Hey, I was just curious."

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked him.

"Oh, now you remind me. James wanted some stuff you are supposed to have."

"I'll get it." Lily moved away and Sirius looked at Harry questioningly.

"No. She told me I wasn't her friend, then I called her a bitch and she called me a wanker and we parted."

Sirius barked in laughter and Lily reappeared in the frame, holding a box.

"Are you still telling her blonde jokes?" she asked him suspiciously and groaned when Harry looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Harry, how many times do I have to tell you-"

"But mum, she secretly loves them too!" Harry whined.

"Oh really? Pray tell how did you come to know that?"

"Er... she doesn't hex me anymore?"

Despite her sternness, Lily had to laugh. Sirius interjected.

"Hey pup, I got a new blonde joke for you. Wanna-"

"SIRIUS! GO AWAY!" Lily yelled in his ears and he quickly ran away with the box.

"It's getting late, Harry. Go to bed. I'm really glad that you're at least trying to be mature. Don't give the girl much trouble. Okay?"

"But mum, if she starts-"

"Harry."

"Right. Goodnight mum. Love you."

"Night darling. Love you too."

He smiled at his mother as her face disappeared and he looked back at his own reflection. Carefully, he put away the mirror and yawned. Putting up a ward as usual, he leant back to his bed and almost instantly fell asleep, unaware of the fact that the girl next door was about to bang her head in frustration for letting Potter get under her skin once again.

Next day, Harry woke up earlier than usual. The moon was still out and the sky was barely showing the hints of blue from the window beside his feet. The window was critically placed so that the sunlight wouldn't directly hit the face of the occupant of the bed before it was at least ten. It was unimportant for him because he rarely woke up after six am, thanks to Master Zhi and his morning exercises. Quietly, he stepped out of his room and climbed down to the little common room. The place looked oddly peaceful in the dark. He went up to the mini portrait of Maggie. Right now, Maggie wasn't there and the little square showed the empty corridor in front of the portrait that was the entrance to the Head's Dorm. Not wanting to wake up the Blue Mistress, he quietly opened the door and headed towards the Room of Requirement.

He knew that many quidditch players take up jogging as the first thing to do in the morning, but Master Zhi taught him better. Jogging or running was good, no doubt, but it simply makes sure you are not falling out of shape, nothing more. The trainings he had to do, however, were far more beneficial and way more exhausting.

And exhausted he was when he returned to his room. He had the familiar urge to sleep down his exhaustion, but he managed to crawl to the washroom instead. One would think that doing the same drill for several years might get him used to it, but that was the motto of his training. Never get used to it. As much as he cursed Master Zhi, he had to admit that the man knew what he was doing. He remembered the early days of his training when he couldn't gather the strength to get back to his room for an hour after he was done. At least he was way better than that now. After a long shower, he went down.

"Went jogging?"

He was surprised to see Greengrass standing beside the large window in the common room that had a magnificent view of the lake and the forest.

"You are up early." He commented.

"I normally wake up at this time. You didn't answer my question."

"Something like that. Why do you ask?"

Daphne shrugged. "The Blue Mistress asked me why you were panting like a dog chased by centaurs when you came back."

He ignored the jibe. "I do some exercises. So what do you usually do being up so early? Breakfast isn't served before eight."

"I like to enjoy the quiet." She replied shortly, looking at him pointedly. He chuckled at her.

"Mind if I stay here? I will keep quiet, I promise."

She considered for a moment. "As long as you don't bother me." She said with a shrug. He nodded and conjured two chairs and then placed one of them right in front of the huge window. He saw her doing the same, keeping some distance between them. He didn't mind. He wasn't in a mood to bicker with her this early in the morning. And Merlin knows how hard it was for him to make a full conversation with her without throwing insults.

The Forbidden Forest looked peaceful and... asleep. The windows of Hagrid's hut were closed, which meant the Gamekeeper was already out for his morning duties. His eyes wandered through the lake and the empty bank, remembering the Triwizard Tournament, where Neville was abducted and Voldemort resurrected.

That was the first time he met Fleur, and he took it as a challenge to charm the haughty quarter Veela who made most boys drool a litre every time she threw back her hair. Taking tips from both his father and Sirius, he managed to take her to the Yule Ball, and later to a date in Hogsmeade. But both of them knew that they weren't made for long distance relationships, and both of them had far too less in common to pursue a relationship. Most importantly, there wasn't the spark. They parted as friends and wrote to each other occasionally. A fact that made Ron Weasley green with jealousy when Harry was answering Seamus' queries about how good quarter-Veelas were as kissers.

Something silver caught his eye and he looked just in time to see a unicorn through the forest trees. He smiled widely, his heart filling up with gratification. Unicorns were the reason he could be yelled at by his mother when he did something foolish or wrong. At first he did stupid things just to hear his mum shout at him. Last year he confessed this to her and though she threatened to spank him next time, she hugged him tightly all the same.

He still felt hollow when he recalled looking at the empty eyes of his Lily Potter, lying in a white bed in the Permanent Damage Ward of St. Mungo's. Since he could remember, his dad and he went to visit her almost every day, often accompanied by Sirius, and sometimes Remus. He saw his father laugh and smile along with his friends, but he knew, his father knew, and Sirius and Remus knew that he was hollow inside. Harry would just sit beside his mother, telling her about his day, as James would stand at her feet, staring at her blank face, those green eyes he used to worship devoid of life. She was well fed and cared, but lack of sunlight made her pale face almost paper-white. She looked like a living ghost.

Going to Hogwarts was the toughest. He couldn't think of not visiting his mother for several months in a row. James tried to tell him that he would be occupied by magic, his lessons and new friends, but Harry knew he was trying to convince himself as well as Harry. Both of them were comforted by the mere presence of the other when Lily wouldn't respond to their pointless ramblings. Going to Hogwarts would be a test for both of them. It would be difficult, but life was a bitch and she liked to make things difficult. Or so Sirius said.

Then, in the summer after his first year, they were all sitting beside Lily, Harry telling her all about his year. He was telling her about the detention with Hagrid, when James suddenly perked up, and for the first time in eleven years, his eyes showed hope.

Harry didn't know, nor did he care about the details, but all he knew was that his dad did some research and he reached to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe a unicorn could help Lily. That was all Harry had to hear, before he started praying to whatever higher powers might be up there.

He was informed when appointments were made with the healers and his mother was taken to a magical forest in the west, where Unicorns were said to be more common. Hagrid accompanied them, as he knew more about magical creatures than anyone else, and Harry waited at home with Sirius. After a few weeks, Remus came back alone. But he had good news. According to him, Lily was showing signs of life and James decided to stay there for as long as it took for her to recover. Harry immediately wanted to go and see her, but Remus sad that it was better not to confuse her when she was just coming back.

Remus then gently explained a confused and disappointed Harry that Lily doesn't remember anything from the last eleven years, so she wouldn't know how Harry looked like now, as her memory would call an infant Harry. And since Harry was almost an exact replica of a twelve-year-old James she went to school with, her still healing brain might collapse again from the confusion.

Reluctantly, Harry agreed to stay and it wasn't until after the next Thanksgiving, when his mirror sent vibrations to his hand during his DADA class. He pulled it out, wondering why his father called him during class time.

"Hi dad, I'm in a class-"

"SHE IS AWAKE!"

Ignoring the students and Lockhart, he ran out of the class and within seconds, he was in the Teacher's Room.

"Potter, ten points from Gryffindor-"

He totally ignored Snape's drawl and came to a halt in front of McGonagall.

"Mr. Potter, aren't you supposed to be in class?" the old witch asked with a frown.

"Professor, I need to go home right now." He panted. Snape decided to interject again.

"The school doesn't bow down to your wishes, Potter-"

"I wasn't talking to you." He didn't spare the bat a glance.

"Detention, Potter! How dare you-"

"Just shut the hell up! Expel me for all I care! I need to go home. Right now."

McGonagall interrupted before it got out of control. "Explain Mr. Potter. And do not interrupt, Severus."

He was granted to leave the premises for a week, without any actions taken against him. That was undoubtedly the best week of his life. Properly meeting his mother for the first time since he could remember, getting used to the fact that his mother, his own mother, was actually hugging him, telling him how much she missed him and how much she loved him. He learnt to cast the Patronus charm with that very memory.

"You look very cheerful."

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the comment by Greengrass. As usual, she looked expressionless, but there might have been a tint of disgust at being happy this early in the morning.

"I remembered something that made me very happy. Wanna know what it was?"

"Not really." She replied quickly, already regretting speaking out loud.

"I know you are curious, so I'll tell you anyway." He said, ignoring her irritated look. "In third year, you were drenched in that gooey, green liquid when you tried to intimidate Peeves, and you smelled horrible for the whole day. Remember?"

"Piss off, Potter!"

Harry snickered, wondering what she would do if she knew that it was him who suggested Peeves to bother her in the first place.

* * *

_A.N: The joy from reading reviews are the only thing that I get out of writing fanfiction. Would you deny me of that joy? Could you?_


	4. Fight or Fight

**4\. Fight or Fight**

"More, Avery? Or should I feed you to Nagini?" he said in a high, cold voice before screaming the dreaded words.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Neville woke up with a scream. Thankfully, he had silencing spells cast around his four poster bed. His gran taught it to him because, according to her, a Gryffindor should not scream like a frightened girl just for a mere nightmare. _Easy for her to say_, he thought bitterly.

He sometimes wished that he grew up in an orphanage rather than with his gran. In her own way, she cared for Neville, but she didn't love him because he was her grandson. She saw him as her chance to restore the Longbottom name back to its previous glory. He saw her just as the son of Frank Longbottom. She rarely mentioned his mother to him, and often hinted that she didn't approve of his father's taste in women. Thankfully, she didn't openly say it in front of Neville.

Neville often fantasized about standing up to his gran, but every time he tried, she got teary and mentioned how poor Frank was turning in his grave at seeing his son insulting his mother, which would crush him down with terrible guilt. After a few times he understood that he was never going to be successful in that, so he just stopped. After hearing the prophecy, he prayed that Voldemort was quick in murdering him. Because face it, even Dumbledore couldn't say exactly what powers he had to surprise Tom Riddle, so his death was kinda set on stone. Dumbledore wasn't such a realist, though.

He slipped out of the four-poster and went down to the common room. To his surprise, he saw a figure sitting near the fire, as if meditating.

"Um... Hello?"

"Hi Neville."

The figure turned towards him. It was Harry.

"Harry what are you doing here at this time?"

"Greengrass and I had a row so I left the dorm." He said brightly. Neville looked a bit confused.

"Not that I mind you here, but couldn't you go back when she falls asleep?"

Harry sighed sadly.

"I thought of that too. But she is just too much of a Slytherin. She is bunking in the Common Room and ordered the portrait to wake her up if I enter. I think she either wants me to apologize or yell some more. The portrait warned me before I tried as she can't disobey a command from a Head."

"You are the Head Boy. Why can't you command her to not wake her up?"

"It's the rule. If the two Head students ask her to do something contradicting, she is bound to follow the one who ordered first."

Neville shook his head. Head stuff was pretty complicated in his opinion. Though his gran expressed her disappointment too many times, Neville was very glad that he wasn't chosen as the Head Boy. Not that anyone except his gran expected him to be chosen.

"So what did she do this time?" he asked Harry, who scowled.

"Did I ever mention that she is a self-centred bitch?"

"Not this week, no."

"Well, she is. Here I was, perfectly minding my own business, and she just stormed in our common room and said that I need to get a life instead of being a childish arse. Just because I hexed Malfoy so that his hair was replaced by green grasses doesn't mean I had any intentions of indicating that she had an affair with Malfoy, does it?"

Neville considered for a moment before answering. "Well, I wouldn't think so, but since her name is Greengrass, you could tell why she might take it personally. Not that I think she is right, though." He added hastily.

"I know and I said that to her. But of course she thinks that the universe revolves around her arse and didn't believe me. She told me that other people were talking about it since Malfoy had shown interest in her a few years back." He said with a grimace. Apparently, the thought of Malfoy with Greengrass disgusted him. Because however bitchy she may be, she could do so much better than Malfoy….

"So what are you doing here at his time, Nev?" Harry asked curiously and Neville sighed.

"It's nothing, just... bad dreams, you know." He tried, but it was clear that Harry wasn't buying it. "Alright, I'll tell you, but-"

"I won't tell anyone, Nev. Go on."

Neville sat down beside Harry, crossing his legs and taking a deep breath. Then he started talking. He told Harry about the visions, the regular pain in his scar, even the prophecy. (Because Harry was the last person who would sell him to Voldemort or his Death Eaters) He told him how he was just waiting for Voldemort to come and get him.

"Don't think like that, Nev. He won't win. I'll help you, we all will help you." Harry assured his friend, who smiled humourlessly.

"I really appreciate it, Harry. But I don't think I can defeat him even with Dumbledore's help. I didn't tell gran because she would put more expectations on me and I might want to hide somewhere before I have to face Voldemort. At least when I die, I want to die like a man like my dad."

Harry clapped his friend's shoulder. He knew that Neville's gran was making his friend's life miserable, but for some reason he was reluctant to stand up to her.

"Neville, my parents were very good friends with your parents. Do you think it would be alright they paid your gran a visit? I heard that my mum can be quite persuasive."

Neville looked scared for a moment. Then he nodded.

"I guess that would be okay, but-"

"Don't worry Neville. It will be alright."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

In a dark room, a group of people were waiting for their master. Their faces each showed different emotions, and some didn't show any emotions at all.

Lucius Malfoy wondered if letting Rabastan join back was a good decision. The younger Lestrange brother always had a blank look and mostly ignored everything around him. The Dark Lord let them back because of their 'unwavering loyalty' towards him so no one dared to question about it further. Many of them wanted to see if the Dark Lord would forgive Rabastan for being slow in a mission.

Rodolphus was another matter completely. Azkaban really affected him, as the once ruthless man flinched at sudden noises, though he was getting better. He nearly killed Pettigrew when the rat sneezed suddenly. It seemed that his fondness of curses didn't leave him with his sanity.

Speaking of sanity, the only person who seemed unaffected by Azkaban was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange. The normal insane witch just seemed to be more insane and sadistic, if that was even possible. Her cackling unnerved everyone like before, if not more, and she became the Dark Lord's favourite again right away. Right now, she was crooning to a stuffed cat she got from a muggle child she killed on her way here. The others gave her a wide berth, even her sister Narcissa. She didn't seem to be bothered by it, though. In contrary, she enjoyed the fact that everyone feared her. Some Death Eaters joked that if the Dark Lord was a little late to start recruiting, it might've been him serving Bellatrix, not the other way round.

Nagini, who was silently curled up on a corner suddenly hissed and startled many of the Death Eaters. Right on cue, Lord Voldemort entered the room, hissing in parseltongue at his pet snake, ignoring the Death Eaters who all but scrambled on their feet and bowed deeply.

"Sit."

Like an obedient bunch of sheep, everyone sat down. Bellatrix leaned forward eagerly, giving Crabbe, who was sitting opposite to her, a nice view of her once magnificent cleavage. The man was torn between staring at it and looking away as quickly as possible.

"Death Eaters, you all know why we are here." Voldemort addressed the silent crowd. "We freed the loyal Death Eaters from Azkaban and now we need to remind the world exactly how weak their ministry is. They need to fear us!

"They are too blind to see that mudbloods and blood-traitors should be obliterated from the world. They say blood doesn't matter. How ignorant! Who was the last halfblood Minister of Magic? No one. Who was the last mudblood wand maker? No one. Who was the last mudblood headmaster of Hogwarts? No one! And yet they think that scum like them deserves any share of power. We must show them that without blood purity, you are no better than a farm animal.

"They need to witness, once again, how farm animals should be slaughtered. They need to remember what happens when they don't share our vision. Either they are our ally, or they are causalities."

He looked around for their expressions and was satisfied that most of them looked like they were eager to shed some blood.

"Our target is a village south of Richmond. Most of the habitants are either mudblood or blood-traitors and the rest are muggles. You do not need to keep anything or anyone in one piece. Consider it a celebration for the return of my faithful Death Eaters."

He waved his wand and a portkey arrived in front of everyone. He looked at each person in the eye before saying, "Do not disappoint me. Show them what happens when you support mudbloods. Show them what happens when they stand in the way of Lord Voldemort."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"You should apologize." She said with a frown.

"Dream on, Greengrass. It is you who should apologize. I had to spend the whole night awake because of you!" he said angrily and she looked taken aback.

"I didn't ask you to stay away!" she snapped back.

"Oh yeah? Who was it sleeping in the common room all night so that they could yell at me for some stupid reason?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well excuse me for pointing this out to you, but the universe doesn't revolve around the mighty Harry Potter. I was doing my homework till late night and I asked the portrait to warn me in case you decided to sneak up and hex me. And the reason was not stupid."

He stared at her for a moment in disbelief. Then he said coolly, "I don't sneak up and hex anyone. If I wanted to hex you I would do it up front. And as for the reason, I quote you- the universe doesn't revolve around the mighty Daphne Greengrass. I just changed Malfoy's hair to grasses. The fact that most of the grass you ever saw was green is just an unfortunate coincidence."

He might've seen the hint of a smile playing in her lips but it went away as soon as it appeared. Her face went blank and she sat down.

"There is something you might want to know about, Potter."

"What is it?" he asked, half-irritated, half-curious.

"There has been a report against Parkinson saying that she assigned detention to a couple of Ravenclaws with no apparent reason. Her report says that those Ravenclaws were inappropriately dressed." She said in a bored tone.

"Detention for inappropriate dressing? That's rich, coming from Parkinson, seeing that she doesn't mind showing off her assets to the world." He commented with a frown.

"Regardless, I consulted a few witnesses and they said that those Ravenclaws wore nothing out of usual. They also hinted that Parkinson is simply jealous of them because Malfoy recently ogled at them. What do you think we should do?"

"We have to give her a warning. If she abuses her power again, her prefect status would be cancelled."

"Are you sure that wouldn't be an empty threat? Professor Snape would simply reinstate her and might even try to accuse you of abusing _your_ power."

Harry looked at her thoughtfully. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. Of course he could turn around Snape's accusations, but he couldn't stop him from reinstating her. Greengrass was smart, he had to give it to her.

"You are probably right. What do you suggest then?" he asked her.

"Firstly, I am _definitely_ right. Secondly, she is hardly a role model for prefects and we could run without one prefect being active."

"I am not sure I follow you." Harry said with a frown. Daphne was tempted to retort with one of his stupid blonde jokes, but she wasn't going to stoop to his level.

"I suggest we deliberately overturn every detention she hands and ignore her in prefects' meetings until she learns her lesson. You know, make her feel powerless and useless."

"Did I ever mention that you can be a vindictive person if you want?"

"You have, actually. Multiple times."

"Just this time, take it as a compliment."

"Thank you." She replied with a mock bow.

"But is that even allowed?" Harry asked.

"Since when did you start caring about what's allowed?" Daphne asked with a raised eyebrow and Harry chuckled sheepishly.

"Touché."

There was a bit of silence and they both stared around aimlessly for a while, subtly avoiding eye contact. This has been a recurring event for the week that they had shared the dorm. When they had some duty-related discussions, they talked like responsible adults, even sharing a joke every once in a while. However, rest of the time was awkward at best. Of course they had several fights and a couple of rows within one week of their Headship, but when they were not discussing duty, or fighting, they hardly talked much. At first, that was just fine by both of them, but after a week of going over to the Gryffindor Tower for any friendly conversation, Harry felt tired. Greengrass was much more introverted than he was and she hadn't visited the dungeons nearly as much as he visited the Gryffindor common room.

"Where's Davis? Haven't seen her around you for a while." He commented and Daphne glared at him for a moment before shrugging.

"She's trying to get the attention of a boy, so she is kind of busy right now." She replied flatly. Harry couldn't decide if he heard any bitterness in her voice.

"Who is it?" he asked. She scowled at him.

"Not my story to tell."

Harry nodded. Slytherins were a secretive bunch. The few friends he made in the snake's house were quite tight lipped.

"So do you have a boyfriend?" he asked. Daphne glared at him for a while before answering.

"What business is it of yours, Potter?" she asked with a sneer. Harry held up his hands.

"Nothing. Jeez! I just wondered because I didn't see any guys hanging out here. I assumed you had a boyfriend in Slytherin that you kept secret from the outside. Probably tied him up in a private cellar or something."

"I see no girls here either, and yet didn't ask you the same question." She shot back, ignoring the last comment.

"Well I broke up with Katie Bell last year and everyone knew we were dating for over a year." He explained, feeling a pang in his chest for his old love.

"So why did she dump you?" she asked with a slight smirk. Harry ignored the jibe.

"We didn't want the burden of long distance holding us down. If we are both single after I graduate, we might give it another go."

Daphne nodded slightly. That made sense, and was surprisingly mature of them.

"So what about you?" Harry asked again. Daphne sighed. She didn't want to answer, but they were practically living together and he had already figured it out anyway.

"No. I am not seeing anyone." She answered in a tight tone.

"See? That wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously.

"Admitting that you are a sad, lonely cow, of course." He answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She threw a book at him.

"You know, sometimes I begin to feel like you are actually a passable human being, but then again you go on and prove that you are a piece of horse shit like Malfoy." she replied, getting up and knowing that she had successfully hit a nerve.

"You take that back!" he shouted.

"Go fuck yourself Potter." She called back, walking towards her room.

"You first!" he replied childishly as she disappeared in her room.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

_There were loud bangs and crashes outside the door. Lily knew it was the Death Eaters. For a moment she was confused. They were under the Fidelius Charm. They couldn't find the house unless…_

_Peter!_

_That fucking piece of shit!_

_She wanted to think that Peter had no option, maybe he was tortured, but she clearly knew that no one except the four of them even knew that Peter was the Secret Keeper._

_If she got out of this alive, the rat was going to rue the day he was born, she promised herself. Then again, she saw little chance of surviving the night. The Death Eaters already put up anti-apparation and anti-portkey wards._

_But why? Voldemort was gone. Little Neville saw to it, losing his parents in process. So why continue the assault?_

_The cackle that came from the hallways confirmed her of the identity of at least one of the Death Eaters. Bellatrix Lestrange had a habit of announcing her presence to her enemy. Tactically speaking, giving away your identity to your enemy isn't the best decision, but in Bellatrix's case, this was an advantage. Just knowing that Bellatrix Lestrange has come for you was enough to make most wizards and witches lose their senses in fear._

_Shaking her head to concentrate, Lily sent a reductor curse at the source of the sound. The only silver lining she could see was James and Harry were not home. They have gone over to Sirius's place, ignoring Dumbledore's warning. Quickly she sent a patronus at the Aurors' office. James would just rush in without thinking and likely get hit. She sent another patronus at Dumbledore, calling for backup._

"_Come out, Potter. Stop hiding like a coward! Weren't you a Gryffindor or something?" a gruff male voice called out, sending a powerful blasting curse at the ceiling._

"_He's not home. Come another time." Lily shouted, changing position to get a better shot whenever the Death Eaters enter._

"_Oh the mudblood's here! I think I will have some fun today!" Bellatrix cooed, practically shaking with anticipation. Lily shivered in disgust and a little bit of fear._

"_Husband not good enough for you?" she called back. The Death Eaters now came into her view and she fired off a stream of curses, quickly running to take cover behind the sofa. She was taught not to stay in one place after firing a curse. Keep moving, or you are easier to get by the enemy._

"_Shut up bitch!" a male voice shouted at her and fired a killing curse. Probably the said husband himself. Unfortunately, his killing curse blasted the sofa apart, forcing her to dive behind a table, knowing that the table won't last any longer, she set it on fire and banished it at the incoming Death Eaters._

"_I don't blame you. I mean, who in their right mind would voluntarily come close to this… err… woman, I guess." Lily said, while sprinting to reach the staircase. She knew that she was quickly running out of spaces to hide, and while she was a pretty good fighter, she wasn't sure she could take on Bellatrix on a straight up fight, and from what she saw, she had three others with her. Unless backup arrived very soon, she was a goner. As soon as she got a little space to breathe, she sent another patronus, this time for James._

"_I love you. Take care of Harry. See you on the other side."_

_With that, she let out a breath, took a moment to calm herself._

_And then all hell broke loose._

_Lily Evan's temper was a very well-known phenomenon to many. It was, according to James Potter, 'a beautiful apocalypse'. The Death Eaters had some taste of it._

_For about three minutes straight, Lily's continuous barrage of spells, along with her graceful movements that made her pinning her down almost impossible, made even Bellatrix doubt their victory for a while. The four assailants were forced on the defensive, even taking a few blows. (Barty Crouch Jr. could never use his right leg again afterwards and Rabastan Lestrange could never see his manhood again)_

_But while dashing from cover to cover and firing off curses continuously, Lily stumbled upon a stray piece of debris. That was all they needed._

_She dodged the first two curses at her way, even sending a cutter through to Bellatrix, which connected. But the sadistic witch didn't even notice. Within a moment, Lily Potter was put under the Cruciatus Curse. And while the curse itself was excruciating, the pain from four simultaneous Cruciatuses were impossible to bear. The first curse, cast by Bellatrix, felt like her body was pierced with a thousand white hot knives. When the other three joined in, she could actually feel her brain turning to mush with the unimaginable pain. It was like million tiny blades hacking away at every inch of her nerves. Her voice was raw from screaming and after a few moments, her vocal cord gave up and all that could be heard was gasp of air. If she could speak, she would beg for death to take her soon, but all she could do was scream silently…_

"Lily…. Lils wake up."

_At least James and Harry are safe…._

"C'mon Lils, it's just a dream. Wake up."

"James?" she opened her eyes uncertainly. Still not sure which was the dream and which was reality.

"You were thrashing around. Nightmare again?" he asked her softly. She looked at him for a few moments and then instead of answering, she broke down in tears.

"Hey, it's okay, babe. It was just a dream." He tried to soothe her, but she didn't seem to be hearing him, so he just held her and rub small circles on her back, rocking her gently.

From her reaction, he guessed that she was relieving the night she got attacked. He couldn't even comprehend the amount of pain she was subjected to. It was still considered a miracle that her brain recovered from that ordeal. He had studied tomes after tomes on unicorn magic and after months of research, during which he took a sabbatical, slept no more than four hours a day and often forgot to eat, he finally came up with a rough solution. The healers in St Mungo's didn't think it would be effective, but he insisted on trying, and they haven't argued much. In their eyes, after all, there wasn't much to lose.

He remembered when he got Lily's patronus, saying that she loved him and Harry. He immediately tried to apparate back home, but found that he couldn't. He tried several times more. Sirius, in a surprising twist of events, calmed down first to realize that there must be anti-apparation wards in the place. He also logically deduced that there must be anti-portkey wards too. So they left the infant Harry under a sleeping charm and disillusioned him and then apparated to a spot about a hundred metres from their home. He found a number of Aurors and Order members were firing at the new wards erected by whoever was inside. By the time they broke through the wards, the damage was done. The only consolation was that the culprits were all captured, courtesy of Dumbledore and James. Some of the witnesses claimed that on that particular day, James Potter was far more dangerous than You-Know-Who himself. Sirius knew that had they seen the state Lily was left in, James would've started throwing Unforgivables without hesitation.

Shaking himself out of the memories, James looked at his wife, whose sobs were slowly dying. He handed her a conjured handkerchief. She quietly blew her nose on it.

"I'm sorry. I-" she began, but James cut her off.

"Shh! It's okay. No need to explain." He just held her tightly.

"I love you, James." She mumbled, closing her moist eyes.

"I love you too, Lils. Now, go back to sleep." He kissed the tip of her head and wiped her eyes. She gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, beautiful."

Living almost twelve years without Lily had convinced James of one thing at least. He was never going to lose her again. Whatever the cost.

* * *

_A/N: Many of you have asked for more backstory, and as you can see, I'm still slowly feeding them in. I hope you will continue to inspire me to write by leaving a review._


	5. Mending Bridges

**5\. Mending Bridges**

"Where have you been?" she asked, as Harry entered, sweating like a pig, his shirt clinging to his body. She couldn't help but notice he had a nice body.

He looked at her for a moment, then he proceeded to his room, completely ignoring her. She sighed.

Okay, she had that one coming. She didn't have sufficient sleep and lack of sleep made her cranky. Maybe she shouldn't have been cross with him for a minor offence.

Alright, maybe it was not any offence at all, but she didn't want to admit it.

He had merely pointed out her flaw in casting technique while she was practicing a particularly difficult and complex charm that was taking a lot of time to master and being stressed and frustrated, she had flown off the handle, calling him an insufferable wanker who couldn't help himself butting in on others' business.

She also threw a quill at him, but it missed him, so no harm done.

She was totally willing to forgive him if he apologized.

She had to admit that it sounded completely bitchy even in her head. She knew she should go and apologize for her behaviour, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. It was Harry-Fucking-Potter, for Merlin's sake!

Granted, he had apologized for his stupid comments on their first day, but the thought of apologizing to Potter sent shivers of repulsion down her body.

Instead, she just decided to wait. After all, he was bound to forget about it sooner or later. Let him have his moment, and once he forgot the whole incident and started talking to her, she would carry on like there wasn't any trouble between them in the first place. The question was, how long would it take him to forget this whole thing?

The answer was very long.

A day turned to two days, four days, a week, two weeks, and Potter still ignored her. Sometimes, even she would forget about the whole incident and ask him a normal question. He always acted like she didn't exist, except for meetings. She considered complaining to Professor Snape or McGonagall about his behaviour, but she knew that although her head of house would love to find an excuse to try and remove Potter as the Head Boy, the thought was very childish. The incident was so long ago and so trivial, that she couldn't possibly bring it up and apologize after all this time, could she? Why couldn't Potter just move on?

She was also quite curious. Every day, he came in almost at the last minute before curfew, sweating all his worth, sometimes even sporting small cuts and bruises. At first she thought he was going to his quidditch practises, but he didn't take his broom with him on these occasions. She knew that he owned the _Firebolt Supreme_, supposedly the best broom in the world right now, which came out just a few months back.

So if he wasn't going to quidditch practises, and came back sweating profusely, where did he come from? She asked twice, and was ignored both times. Couldn't he at least tell her where he went and then continue to maintain his stupid vow of silence?

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"Harry Potter."

It was almost midnight, and Sirius considered if he was calling at a bad time. But Harry appeared in the mirror after three seconds.

"Hey Padfoot." He smiled at his godfather. Melanie called him Harry's dogfather, which amused both Harry and James, but Sirius insisted that godfather was his preferred title.

"Hey pup, bad time?"

"Nah, I was about to turn in for the night. What's up?" Sirius didn't usually call at midnight just to check on him.

"How's the Head Girl doing?" Sirius asked with an exaggerated leer, to which Harry rolled his eyes.

"Wouldn't know. Don't tell mum, but I'm not talking to her."

"What did you do this time?" Sirius asked, amused.

"Hey, what's with everyone assuming it's me who did something wrong?" he asked irately.

"It's usually you. Besides, it's a matter of principle. You can't ever say that the woman was wrong. Always admit that it was your fault, even if it wasn't." Sirius advised.

"Yeah that might be cool with girls I like or looking to date, not Greengrass. She's just a bitch. And this time I didn't do anything. It was her. I am serious." As he finished the sentence, he realized one second too late that he walked into a self-constructed trap.

"Don't say it, Padfoot, don't you say it-" he tried to warn the man, but by then it was impossible.

"No pup, I am Sirius, you are Harry." He said proudly, extremely satisfied with himself. Harry groaned.

"You know you are the worst, don't you?" he inquired. Padfoot gave him a winning smile.

"And you love me anyways. So, what did she do?" his face became (pardon the pun) serious once more. As Harry told him, he listened with a strange smile.

"What are you grinning at? Don't tell me it was my fault." Harry said with a frown. Sirius shook his head.

"No I wasn't going to say that. But don't you think two weeks is a bit harsh for such a thing? I mean, given the history between you two, this could be considered a goodnight kiss."

Ignoring the last comment, Harry shook his head.

"It's not the action itself, Padfoot. She was bummed out and frustrated, which is perfectly acceptable. Maybe even she was having her period at the time or something. But what I can't accept is the way she just expects me to forget it all and move on. I mean, I apologized to her during the first day for something I did unknowingly. She can't extend the same courtesy back to me? That is the reason I am not talking with her. Nothing else." He explained, feeling a bit light for saying this to someone. Then he looked at Sirius with curious eye.

"But I don't think you called me to ask about Greengrass at midnight. What's up Padfoot?"

The man looked at something above the mirror for a few moments, probably organizing his words.

"There's been a breakout from Azkaban. You heard about it, I assume?"

"Yes. Do you know who escaped?" Actually Harry didn't care for all the names. He already suspected some of the names. The look on Sirius's face confirmed it before he spoke.

"All Death Eaters. Wormtail, the Lestranges, everyone of importance. But I have a news."

"Go on." Harry nodded.

"Barty Crouch Jr. is alive."

Sometimes Sirius wished the mirror didn't show everything so clearly. His Godson's face didn't move a muscle, but his eyes quickly showed a wide variety of emotions very quickly. Recognition, surprise- no, shock, curiosity and finally a venomous hatred.

"Good. But how?" he asked in a slightly strained voice.

Sirius explained how Barty Crouch Sr. used polyjuice to switch between his wife and his son, fulfilling his wife's dying request, and smuggling him out of Azkaban and keeping him locked in his own house under the Imperius.

"Remember the Death Eater who impersonated Moody during the Triwizard Tournament?" Sirius asked and Harry nodded. After turning the Cup into a portkey and making sure Neville touched it first, the Death Eater abandoned his cover and fled, probably to his master. Mad-Eye couldn't identify the Death Eater, being in a poor condition himself and not having the magical eye, so there was no way to find out the identity of the impostor.

"Turns out he was Barty Crouch. The junior, I mean. His father turned up a few days back, confessed everything and tried to get a decreased sentence in return of his confession." Sirius explained. Harry looked contemplating for a moment. Then his eyes lit up like when someone makes a connection.

"Wait, isn't that what Karkaroff did? Wasn't Crouch the Head of DMLE when that happened?" he asked incredulously. Sirius laughed at that. Harry was quite well versed in the history of Voldemort's rise and fall and re-rise to power and the events that were with it.

"Yeah. And Crouch was actually the person who Karkaroff made the deal with. Now he's gone ahead and pulled a Karkaroff himself. Gotta love irony. Or maybe the old wanker figured that's how things are done at the ministry."

"Did he get a deduction on his sentence? And more importantly, the Tournament was three years ago. Why did he come out clean now?" Harry asked, although having a clue to the second question.

"Unfortunately yes. Despite being in a batshit crazy condition, Crouch is still a politician. He got four years in Azkaban, but that's a bloody joke because even if he manages to stay sane for five years in his condition, it's unlikely that the Dementors would last that long in Azkaban. Ministry is having more trouble controlling them than ever. They reckon that the creatures would join Voldemort's ranks within a few months. As to why come out now, no one is sure. He claims he was too mentally unstable, being under the Imperius for so long and what not, but most of us figure that Crouch Jr. now on the loose, if he was seen or captured, Crouch Sr. would be called in for questioning. He just wanted to save his arse. Well, save it more than he could've saved in that case, anyway."

"Hmm. That's what I thought too. Makes sense."

"James and I are trying to track down the rat. Remus is still trying to find a weakness in Greyback's pack, so he will be busy. We might go silent for a few days, just letting you know."

Harry knew it was necessary, and he wanted to kill the rat just as bad as them, but he still hated them going silent. Last time that happened, they caught a group of Death Eaters but Sirius came home with his left arm grabbing his severed right arm. Thankfully the healers at St. Mungos managed to reattach it promptly, leaving a thick scar at the joining.

"You gonna be okay, kid?" Sirius asked gently. He knew Harry hated this, but it couldn't be helped. Thankfully, James had taken the duty of telling Lily. Merlin knew the stag animagus was in for a rough night.

"Yeah, sure. I'll keep myself busy." Harry replied with a steady voice. "Just let me know when you come back, won't you?"

"Of course, pup." Sirius smiled. He knew Harry was putting on a brave face for his sake and he didn't comment on it. "Another thing, pup."

"Yeah?"

"Don't give the Greengrass girl too much grieve. Life is too short to hold grudges over simple things. See you around." With a wink, he vanished from the mirror, leaving Harry staring at his own reflection.

"Whatever, mutt." He muttered as he put away the mirror. A part of him knew that Sirius was right and he should just get over it, and to be completely honest, with all that was happening around him, he wasn't sure he could find it in himself to hold a grudge against Greengrass. Whatever perks Heads had, having separate dorms meant that the two Heads were big parts of each other's social life. Harry spent twice the time with Greengrass than he did with Neville, which was a depressing thought by itself.

Speaking of Neville, he had yet to ask his parents how their conversation with Madame Longbottom went. He wanted to ask Nev about it the other day, but he said he didn't hear from his gran. He would've talked some more, but Nev said Dumbledore was expecting him.

Making a mental note to himself to talk to his mother the next day, Harry turned over and closed his eyes. He had a feeling tonight's sleep would not be very peaceful.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The next morning found Harry slumped at the entrance to the Head's dorm, quite exhausted with several pulled muscles. He was finding it impossible to crawl back to his room and make the tea that would give him the energy to go recover from the exercise.

He cursed himself softly. The news from last night had got him fired up, and in his blind determination to train as hard as humanly possible, he had overexerted himself severely and he knew that he could not fall asleep like his body wanted to. Because if he slept through the exhaustion he wouldn't wake up before evening.

As luck would have it, Greengrass came out of her room and was coming down the stairs. She didn't notice him yet, but it was only a matter of time. He considered falling asleep (which would be unbelievably easy for him right now) to avoid the embarrassment of seeing Greengrass find him like this, but decided to give one last push to go to his room.

Unfortunately, as soon as he stood, his legs gave away and he fell face first on the floor. Daphne yelped.

"Holy shit! Potter, what the hell happened to you?"

"N'thin…. jus' tired." He mumbled, finding it difficult to move his mouth as his face was smashed against the floor.

Daphne ran down the stairs and checked him for any signs of injury. To her surprise, apart from a few cuts and bruises that were fading away, and being sweaty as hell, he looked fine.

"Wait here, I'll get Pomfrey." She went for the door, but Harry managed to grab her leg.

"No need… I'll be fine. Just help me… to my room." He managed to turn his head enough to speak somewhat clearly. Daphne looked torn for a moment. On one hand, he definitely wasn't okay and needed to see the nurse, but on the other hand, he clearly wanted to avoid the hospital wing, and she could understand that.

"Alright then, let me float you." She pointed her wand at him and levitated him in front of her as they went to the door to his room. "Can I open it?" she asked him. She had put some protections to prevent anyone to enter her room without her permission except for a few people. She expected him to have some protections as well.

He touched her arm and she felt a tingling sensation quickly spreading from the place he touched.

"Now you can." He said with a small grin. She raised her eyebrows because he didn't have him wand in his hand but she definitely felt some magic when he touched her. He didn't offer any explanations and she huffed at that but opened the door and led him inside.

His room was very organized. More organized than her. She expected a big mess like she assumed all boys' rooms are, but he didn't even have one stray piece of cloth or a book lying about. On a small table beside his bed was a tea pot and the ingredients neatly arranged. She dumped him on his bed and after another glance at his room, turned to leave. He called after her retreating back.

"Greengrass, wait."

She turned and looked at him questioningly.

"Tea?" he offered, already dragging his hands to make a cup.

"Shouldn't you sleep? You look too tired to make tea."

He shook his head as she sat on a comfortable looking chair beside the bed. With great difficulty, he made a full cup for himself and a quarter cup for her. She frowned at the mostly empty cup.

"Are you taking the phrase 'I'll have a sip' too literally, or did you run out of ingredients?" she asked with a bit of irritation leaking in her voice. After all, she helped his sorry arse to bed and he couldn't be bothered to give her a full cup of tea after offering it himself?

"That's more than you need. Just drink it." He replied, before sipping his cup. She frowned at the comment but did as told, thinking that if he was drinking it, it meant the tea was not a prank. Probably.

As soon as she drank the first sip, she felt like she woke up from a deep sleep and was now wide awake. She felt like she could conquer the world today and still have some energy left.

"WHOA! What was that?" she all but shouted. He chuckled.

"I usually drink it after my exercise, so that I can spend the rest of the day like I have slept a solid 8 hours. You drank it after waking up, so you'll feel a bit hyper till noon if you finish the amount I gave you."

Daphne immediately put down her cup, not wanting to be _hyper_ for even a moment more than she had to.

"What's this tea anyway?" she asked curiously, feeling the energizing effect leaving slowly, but still giving her the wide awake feeling.

"It's just a gift from a friend. It is not something you can find in a shop around here."

He drank the rest of his tea as she looked around his room awkwardly. As soon as he finished his cup, he was on his feet, looking like he was not half dead only minutes ago, and proceeded to change his still wet-from-the-sweat shirt to a fresh one. Daphne tried not to look, but she felt her mouth getting a little drier as she took more than a couple glances at his shirtless body. Say what you will about Potter, his workouts really showed. Fortunately, she successfully avoided getting caught staring as she turned away right before he looked at her.

"Listen Greengrass, thanks for the help. I really appreciate it." He started awkwardly, knew that he had to do this now. "And… I also wanted to tell you I'm sorry I ignored you for the last few weeks. I want to say that I was mad at you, but I guess it was a bit childish of me as well."

Seeing him wringing his hands and not meeting her eyes, she knew he was sincere and she felt bad. "Yeah, it's okay. And I think…. I think I was quite rude to you the other day as well. Sorry for that." She managed a small smile and saw he had a small grin on his face as well.

"Alright, now don't go crying all over my carpet with your emotional outbursts, blondie." He smirked as her face changed from apologetic to outraged.

"Why you little-"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The quidditch try outs for Gryffindor team was rapidly becoming a headache for Harry. He missed his old team with Wood as the captain. The team he had was nowhere near the old one's calibre. He felt that Ginny and himself were the only decent players in the team. Ron still had horrible nerve problems that people like Malfoy could easily exploit. Last year he had the option to bench him in favour of McLaggen, who despite being a loudmouth, was a good Keeper. But Cormac graduated last year, making Ron Weasley the only person with any kind of keeping qualities. Sadly, Ron knew it too, and he reacted in all the worst possible ways. He acted like trying out was an insult to his abilities and kept talking down to everyone. And Harry would bet his _Firebolt Supreme _that this would cause him to be nervous as match day approached. He idly wondered if his nervousness during performing was the reason for his breakup with Hermione Granger.

Ginny was and excellent chaser, easily on par with Angelina Johnson if not better. Demelza, the second chaser was not bad either, who had the potential to be as good if she trained hard. The third chaser spot was open, and Harry was hoping someone other than Dean Thomas would get it. Dean was a good friend, but he wasn't that good of a chaser and his breakup with Ginny last year caused some friction in the team that almost cost them a match last season. Two chasers not passing the quaffle to each other unless absolutely necessary was noticed right away by Ravenclaw and the beaters isolated Katie quickly and Gryffindor were in deep trouble. It was only Harry's prompt actions that saw them grab a victory by only 20 points.

The beaters, Jimmy and Ritchie, were alright, but he still missed the twins' excellence. He couldn't find any decent backup for them though, which had him a little worried. He just hoped none of them would suffer an injury.

"Alright everyone, gather around." He called out loud, Ginny standing beside him, being the vice-captain of the team. "We have selected the main roster and we have a few people as reserves as well, in case of any injuries and to help with practice sessions as well. If anyone wants to bow out, now would be a good time because once the team is announced, you have to attend every practice unless you are in the hospital wing, and trust me when I say that the practice sessions are not going to be very pleasant."

He saw a few grimaces, but no one left. They all saw Harry's training sessions from last year and only the really interested ones turned up for the try outs.

"The main Keeper is Ron Weasley. Denis Creevey will be the reserve Keeper." Small applause was heard as Ron looked around importantly and Denis's friends clapped him on the back. Ginny rolled her eyes at Ron.

"The beaters are Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote. There are no reserve beaters, so make sure you guys stay out of the infirmary." Ginny said, giving them a wink. They grinned, happy to be back on the team.

"The main chasers are Ginny Weasley," Harry read as Ginny gave a small bow, smiling. "Demelza Robins and Dean Thomas. Reserve chasers will be Thomas Clarke and Pete Smalling." The two first years high fived each other. He had convinced McGonagall that since school rules prohibits first years owning brooms, it wouldn't be breaking a rule or making an exception if they were on the team and played with Harry's spare broom, his old Nimbus 2000. Since there were two first years on the team, Harry would have to get his dad's spare broom, a Nimbus 2001, for the team as well. He was sure his father would not mind.

"And the seeker is Harry, obviously." Ginny announced like it was the most natural thing in the world, which it was. "I'll be his reserve, which is why we have two reserve chasers. Anyway, that's it. Congratulations to everyone who made the team, and for those who didn't, train hard and try again next year because three members of the first team will graduate at the end of this year, so there will be plenty of openings available. So goodbye and hope to see you next year." She finished her speech as everyone except the team went their way. Harry tried to ignore Parvati waving at him from the stands. He used to like that girl once, but she was acting a bit too _airy, _for lack of a better word, for him.

"I'm going to make sure you get this badge next year and I'm sure Minnie will agree. You are doing to make a fantastic captain, Gin." Harry praised his vice-captain as she beamed.

"Thanks Harry, it means a lot coming from you."

Harry grinned back at her and stood in front of the team and looked them all in the eye. It was a technique his father taught him. Looking at your team members in the eyes before a speech made them more attentive and take his words to heart. It made them see him as someone leading from the front instead of ordering them around. Satisfied as they all looked eagerly at him, he began his welcoming speech.

"Before a particularly tough match, my old captain, Oliver Wood, told me something I still follow by heart. He said to me, catch the snitch, or die trying…"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"Hey blondie." Harry called as he entered through the portrait. Daphne was sitting there with her face scrunched up in concentration, a few books and rolls of parchment lying in front of her.

"Mophead." She absently nodded, not even looking at him. Until he came close to her.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously. It didn't look like familiar. She sighed and turned to him, about to snap, but stopping herself just in time.

"None of… It's just a paper I am writing for Flitwick. He said if I can submit a good paper, he would offer to tutor me for Mastery. A charms mastery will be quite useful." She explained. Harry was a bit surprised at her because she usually didn't share information that readily, but he quickly covered up his surprise.

"Alright, sounds neat. So what are you writing the paper on?"

"Spell crafting, mainly. How spells are invented and perfected. It's quite a generalized topic, but the research done on it are surprisingly vague. Apparently spell crafters do not publish their work process." She said with a little bit of frustration.

"I might be able to help you there. Wait for a bit." Harry said, turning to his room. Daphne was bewildered. How was he going to help her? After a few minutes, Harry returned, holding a mirror in hand.

"What are you doing, Potter?" she asked warily. If the mirror was a set up for another blonde joke, she would have to push him off the astronomy tower. He grinned in response.

"Okay, so I talked to my mum and she said she would be happy to chat with you."

Daphne was even more confused than before. Why would she want to talk with Potter's mum? "That's good to hear, but what does this have to do with my paper? I thought you said you would help."

"Oh sorry, forgot to mention that part. Mum was a spell crafter. She has detailed notes on her work and she would love to discuss it with you if you can meet her."

Daphne was shocked. First of all, she didn't know the muggleborn woman was a spell crafter, and secondly, she was dumbfounded at Potter being so readily helpful. "Wow, thanks Potter. I didn't know your mother was a spell crafter, I didn't find her name in any of the references."

"She took up spell crafting right after graduating, but she had to take a huge break when she was… ill." He said uncomfortably. "She didn't take it up again after getting well."

Daphne felt horribly awkward. She knew that Mrs. Potter was in the permanent damage ward of St. Mungos for 12 years, but the topic never came up in a conversation between her and Potter. Mostly because their conversations usually consisted of insults and cursing until very recently.

"Oh, well… thanks again for this. When can I meet her?" she asked quickly, hoping to avoid the uncomfortable topic. He was relieved as well.

"I can ask her to come over at the next Hogsmeade weekend. Or if you want, you can talk to her with the mirror." He waved his mirror, not really secretive about it.

"What mirror?" she asked curiously. She had seen that mirror when she went to his room and thought that maybe Potter was a little vain.

"I have this two-way mirror that I can talk with other people who has another mirror like this. My dad and his friends made these when they were at school. Daphne nodded, impressed.

"That's an impressive bit of magic. Why didn't your dad and his friends market this? This looks dead useful." She glanced at the mirror, wishing she had one to talk to her mother.

"I think they did it for themselves and didn't want to do business with it. Never asked about it, really."

They agreed that Daphne would meet Lily Potter in the next Hogsmeade weekend, which was just a week away. As Harry went back to his room, a thought suddenly came into Daphne's head. What if Harry had already told his mother about their violent rivalry and she hated Daphne for cursing her son? She was sure if he chatted about her to his mother, it would likely be a biased story. And the worst thing was that she couldn't even cancel on her now as that would make her look even worse.

_I'm going to meet an angry spell crafter and she might permanently turn me into a frog._

* * *

_A/N: There you go, Harry and Daphne finally share a full conversation without insulting each other. Miracles do happen, it seems. Happy Halloween to everyone who is celebrating. Consider this slightly early chapter a Halloween treat. Review please!_


	6. Strange Stranger

**6\. Strange Stranger**

The week around Halloween was always a difficult time for Neville. Mostly because it was when Voldemort murdered his parents. But it was also the day which sealed his fate. He knew that he was being ungrateful, but he could not help but wonder what would happen if his parents were still alive. He would not be living with his gran, for sure. He would not have the pressure of the whole world upon his shoulders, either. He would probably be a normal boy whose biggest worry would be the finding himself a girlfriend and his biggest pressure would be the NEWTs study load that everyone else was already complaining about.

Dumbledore told him that the prophecy could have meant either him or Harry. Neville knew that he was being unbelievably selfish when he wished that Voldemort had picked Harry instead of him. Harry certainly looked like he could, one day, defeat Voldemort, with all the training he did. He quickly pushed that thought away from his head. Harry was his best friend, and he would not wish his life on anyone other than Voldemort himself. Not to mention that James and Lily Potter were two of the nicest people Neville has ever met, and without them checking up on him every once in a while, Neville would've had an even worse childhood. It was bad enough that Mrs. Potter was tortured to insanity. Neville didn't know if he could bear seeing his parents being unresponsive for years. But then again, it would've given him a chance to see them once again.

Shaking his head to get rid of these ominous thoughts, he made his way towards the Heads' dorm. When the portrait saw him, she disappeared for a moment before it swung open. He stepped inside to see Daphne Greengrass curled on the couch with a few books in front of her.

"Longbottom." She greeted with a heavy voice. Neville was suddenly very nervous. He had heard a lot about the Head Girl from Harry and almost all of it were unflattering. Of course, Neville was not an idiot, and knew that Harry was equally to blame for their rivalry, if not more, but the impression of his descriptions of Daphne Greengrass had left a mark.

"Umm… hi. Is Harry here?" he asked nervously, trying hard not to stutter.

"I… I don't think so." She replied. Her face was flushed and she looked to be shivering a little.

"Are you… okay?" Neville asked tentatively. According to Harry, the girl was prone to violence, so he kept his distance just to be safe.

"Yes. I'm alright." She managed in a weak voice. It was clear that she was anything but alright, but Neville was not about to say that to her face.

Probably.

He nodded and turned to leave, but against his better judgement, he turned towards her again.

"Uh, I know it is not my place to say, but you might want to visit Madam Pomfrey."

Daphne tried to glare at the boy, but she was increasingly finding it difficult to keep her eyes open.

"Thanks, but I'm fine." She replied shortly.

Neville nodded and turned to leave again, but once more against his better judgement, he turned back on the Slytherin.

"I'm sorry, but you should probably-"

"Go away, Longbottom." She ordered and chuckled as she saw the Boy-Who-Lived retreating quickly. It seemed that being badmouthed by Potter also had some good sides. Another round of shivers, however, left her wondering if the Chosen One had a point.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The first quidditch match of the season was almost upon them and Harry was training the team pretty hard. He made two teams, with a keeper, two chasers and one beater in each side and run some scrimmages between themselves. After every half an hour, he shuffled the teams and restarted the drill. The extra chaser would usually chase the quaffle when it was out of play and two first year chasers, Clarke and Smalling, were rotated as the extra chaser and they seemed to be pretty excited to actually play some quidditch, so everyone was happy. Once he had both of them play and call on Ginny as a seeker and played fetch the snitch, but he knew Ginny should get more familiarized with other chasers than with the snitch, so he let her go after a while. As for himself, he had to supervise the training on the allotted training, so he went for seeker practise early in the morning, usually right after his morning exercise and tea, just like he learned from Krum.

In his fourth year, he found himself close to Viktor Krum, and he did what any good seeker would do: hound him for tips. At first Krum avoided him like he would avoid a pestering fan, but with some words in the right ears, Harry and Angelina managed to run an unofficial Hogwarts vs Durmstrang match right before the Easter holidays. The Hogwarts team had Bletchley from Slytherin as the keeper, Fred and George Weasley from Gryffindor as beaters, Angelina from Gryffindor, Preece from Hufflepuff and Davies from Ravenclaw as the chasers. Needless to say, Harry became the seeker after beating Cho, Malfoy and Cedric in the try outs. There were some grumblings amongst the rejects (specially from the Slytherin side) about a Gryffindor bias, but Angelina, who was leading the try outs, pointed out that they could simply play better to avoid such bias and Cedric Diggory, who had the respect of most of the school as the champion agreed that the team was fair and the grumblings went away after that.

Harry didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed when he saw that Krum was not playing in the Durmstrang team. Their captain, a boy with a very red face whose name Harry had trouble pronouncing, said that Krum didn't want to take the risk of any injuries ahead of the next season, given that he was already missing a whole season because of the tournament.

Hogwarts won in a tough battle that went on for close to three hours. The Durmstrang chasers were very physical, but their beaters didn't come close to the Weasley twins and the keepers were evenly matched. It was evident very clearly that Harry was by far the superior seeker, managing to make the opponent seeker crash twice with two wonderful feints, including a textbook Wronski Feint. He once spotted Krum at the stands, looking like he wanted to jump on a broom right there, but the snitch proved to be quite elusive. After the score was 450-480 in favour of Durmstrang, Harry finally saw the snitch and wasted no time getting it and securing the win for team. The two teams and their friends were invited to the Gryffindor common room, where a party to end all parties was hosted by the generous lions. They even invited Beauxbaton students, who couldn't play because they didn't bring enough quidditch players to form a team.

Albus Dumbledore was beside himself with joy at this immense show of inter school bonding and voluntarily expanded the Gryffindor common room to almost thrice its normal size. He wanted to award Gryffindor a hundred points for their hospitality, but Minerva reminded him that this might undo some inter house relations that were built here and Albus asked the house elves to provide snacks for the party instead, merrily twinkling his eyes.

Krum had found Harry trying to feed a Canary Cream to a Beauxbaton student. He cleared his throat to get his attention. When Harry looked at him, mildly surprised, he spoke with a thick accent. "You fly vell. Meet me in front of our ship tomorrow at 9 a.m."

They met next morning, and Krum took him for a fly. If Harry thought he was a natural flyer, he was nothing compared to Krum. The older boy took him under his wing, teaching him how to train as a seeker and giving him numerous pointers and tips to improve his flying. They continued meeting regularly, once or twice each week, and Harry could immediately see the results. He always took pride in his flying abilities, but after a month of training with Krum, he felt like he had been doing it wrong all his life and now he was just learning to fly smoothly. The only thing Krum couldn't see any room to improve was Harry's recovery from a steep dive. "It is as good as you can get vithout killing yourself." He commented.

So even after the year ended and his correspondence with Krum dropped to once or twice a year, he continued his training just like Krum showed him, and as a result no Hogwarts seeker ever came close to catching him or the snitch against him. In one particular match against Slytherin, he made Malfoy crash three times and sent him to the hospital wing without having the smallest contact with him. They had to bring on a substitute seeker to finish the match.

Shaking himself back to reality, Harry blew his whistle and the scrimmage stopped. Ginny looked a bit disappointed as she was just about to score another past Ron, but she didn't voice that and fell in line with everyone, facing Harry. Like a ritual, Harry looked at each individual's eyes before speaking.

"Alright team, the big day is tomorrow and I want you all to get a good night's sleep. We will be playing with the regular first team, and I hope I won't need to call any reserves in the pitch, but be prepared for everything. We know Slytherin plays dirty and we have practised for that kind of play specifically. We are as prepared as we can be, and if you can play like the way we practised for the last few days, those Slytherin boys will not even see what hit them." He looked around to see determined faces looking back at him and that got his insides all warm and tingly.

"Go rest now. We have a battle to fight tomorrow."

The team left in high spirits and Harry hoped they would all get a good night's sleep.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

When Harry returned to his dorm, he was surprised to see Daphne not in the common room. He also did not remember seeing much of her during the week. He was awfully bust with quidditch practice for a while, and they hardly greeted each other when they met. Harry briefly wondered if she was okay. Her door was locked and he thought about knocking to see if she was there, but decided against it at the last minute.

Entering his room, he found Hedwig, his snowy owl, perched on his bed with a letter tied to her legs. He pulled out a few owl treats from a drawer beside his bed and offered it to her as he opened the letter. It was from his mother.

_Dear Harry,_

_I don't know if you heard about it yet, but the Tonks family was attacked today. Nymphadora wasn't home and Andromeda managed to take care of most Death Eaters, but Ted was hit by a nasty cutter from behind. The Order arrived before the Aurors, but the Death Eaters already escaped by that time. Andromeda is okay, but Ted is still unconscious. Healers said he might have some difficulty with his left shoulder, but he will be okay. I am going over to St. Mungos right now. Talk to Nymphadora tomorrow if you can. She has been pretty upset. _

_Stay safe and take care of yourself._

_Love,_

_Mum._

_P.S. We are still on for next weekend, right?_

Harry sighed. He would call Tonks tomorrow after the match. She had a phone that Lily charmed to have connection with their mirrors. She couldn't see their faces, but they could talk, and that was pretty cool too.

He thought about these attacks and realized he could do nothing about them. For now, at least. He had put off his regular training for quidditch, but he would have to restart it from the day after tomorrow. He had to be prepared for the war.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Daphne was still absent when Harry returned from his morning exercise and even when he was getting out of the portrait to join the team for breakfast. He thought about knocking again, but once again he stopped himself, thinking that she might like to sleep in for Quidditch match days. He didn't really know her that well, and waking her up might cause her to hex him, which he didn't want just before a match.

The match was quite short. Ron, as usual, fell under nerves as Slytherin supporters chanted the infamous 'Weasley is Our King' that Malfoy wrote in their fifth year. Harry had to give it to the boy. He really knew how to exploit the weakness of others. Fortunately, Harry wounded up Malfoy by flying in a tight circle around the blond boy and suddenly diving and pulling up sharply. Malfoy looked scared as he clung on to his broom for dear life and Harry smirked and proceeded to catch the snitch right after that. As the team converged on him to congratulate him, he was already planning to give Denis Creevey some motivation to step up his game, because he sure as hell wasn't playing Ron Weasley in the next match. The guy was already brooding in a corner away from the team. Ginny followed his line of sight.

"You want me to tell him he is not playing the next match?" she asked him quietly. Harry shook his head.

"No, I gotta do it. Besides, he might not take it well from his baby sister."

"Hey, watch who you're calling a baby!" she shoved him, a mock glare in her face.

"Just you, ickle Gin-Gin." Harry answered as he flew away out of her reach just as she took a swipe at him. He scanned the retreating Slytherins to see if he could find the Head Girl among them, but he couldn't spot her. Parvati was, once again, waving at him from the stands, and he waved back distractedly, wondering where blonde Slytherin was.

Pushing the thoughts of Greengrass away from his head, he took a walk towards the lake and pulled out his mirror. "Nymphadora Tonks." He called. It was a while before she answered.

"Wotcher Harry." She sounded tired. If Harry had to guess, he would say her hair was a dull brown right now, matching her mood.

"Hey Dora, how are you?" he asked tentatively. Normally he would joke around her name, but he felt this was not the moment.

"I'm holding up. Dad woke up a couple hours back. They said he would have some difficulties to throw or swing with his left arm, and that he would have to be in bed for the next few days, but he's gonna be fine otherwise."

"That's good to hear." Harry breathed in relief. "Now what is this I hear about you moping around? That is my job Dora, not yours." He tried to lighten the mood a bit. It failed.

"I should've been there, Harry. I can't say how it felt like when I came home to find him like that… bleeding all over mum. They wanted me because I am a known member of the Order and I wasn't there to protect my family when… when it mattered the most." Her voice broke as she got it out of her chest.

"Hey, don't say that. You couldn't know they would come for your parents." Harry tried to calm her, but she was still sniffing. "Dora, listen to me. Your parents are adults who can take care of themselves. In fact, they did take care of the Death Eaters by themselves before any help arrived. They wouldn't want you to guard them all the time in case they are attacked. Would you blame them if you were attacked at work and they were not there to protect you?"

"…no"

"Then don't blame yourself for something you had no control over. Death Eaters attacked them, not you. You understand me?" he said forcefully. It ached his heart to see the bubbly metamorphmagus this miserable.

"I guess. Thanks, Harry. Thanks for calling. I really needed to talk to someone."

"Hey that's what I am for. Now go and smile for your parents. Trust me your dad will recover much faster if you're not being a miserable sod." Tonks gave a watery laugh.

"Shut up, you brat! I'll go and talk with my parents. Bye."

"Talk to you later, Nymphie." He hung up before she could yell at him.

He knew Tonks will have a rough few days regardless. Harry knew very well that he would be much worse off if the roles were reversed. He still worried about his dad and Sirius. They were gone for a month now. They sent notes to his mother in the first two weeks, saying that they were okay and that she could not reply back. On the third week, they said they were going deep and there would be no communications for a few weeks. Hopefully they would come back with the rat and possibly more Death Eaters.

Reaching the Gryffindor common room, he saw that the party was in full swing. He chatted with a few people, thanking everyone who congratulated him. He noticed that Ron was sulking in a corner with a bottle of butterbeer. Carefully avoiding Parvati's searching eyes, he sought out Neville, who was stealing glances at Ginny from a distance.

"See something you like, mate?" Harry asked quietly, waggling his eyebrows. Neville blushed.

"Maybe. Congratulations on the win." He offered. Harry waved it away like it was nothing.

"Want me to set you up? I heard she is not seeing someone at the moment." He suggested. Neville looked alarmed.

"Heavens no! I don't want Ron after my case if I date his sister. Besides, dating might not be a good option for me." He gave him a significant look, hinting about his responsibilities. Harry frowned.

"Ron won't do shit unless he wants Ginny to hex him to next year. Don't worry about that. And I think dating is an excellent option for you. You are a guy, Nev, not a weapon. You deserve to live your life. Hell, you deserve it more than any of us for what you've been through and what you're going to go through in the future. If anyone deserves to enjoy life to its fullest, it's you."

Neville felt very uncomfortable at Harry's words. He so wanted for them to be true, but he was still afraid that he won't make it against Voldemort. He nodded to Harry to show that he appreciated the sentiment, and Harry understood that he had to change the subject because Nev was super uncomfortable with these things.

"So what's old Dumbledore teaching you?" Harry asked while setting up a privacy ward, wondering if the old headmaster was teaching Neville ancient magic that would help him against Voldemort. Neville shrugged.

"Nothing exciting. He's showing me memories of Voldemort as a child. It's supposed to help with defeating him somehow, we haven't discussed that part yet." Neville wouldn't divulge this information to just anyone, but Harry had been his best friend since they were young, and they trusted each other with their secrets. Harry looked dubious.

"If you say so. By the way, did you hear from your gran? Mum said she and dad had a chat with her. Dunno how that went." Neville shrugged again.

"No idea, mate. I didn't get a chance to owl her recently, with Dumbledore's lessons and what not. Say, what are you doing in this Hogsmeade weekend?"

"So far getting Greengrass to meet up with mum. I'll see how that goes." He replied. Harry had told him about Daphne's research and Lily Potter helping her out. He thought it was awfully nice of her to help out someone who was not even Harry's friend. But then again, given their violently famous history, he wondered why Harry decided to help her anyway. That also reminded him of his last encounter with the Head Girl.

"Oh, that's okay. I was just asking because I have absolutely nothing to do. Hermione is going on a date with a Ravenclaw and Dean and Seamus both plan to go to Hog's Head to have firewhiskey. Not really a fan of that stuff." He grimaced to emphasize his point and Harry laughed. Neville was never the firewhiskey type of guy. "By the way, I went to your dorm the other night. You were right, mate. Greengrass is kinda scary."

"Really? She did not tell me anything. I haven't really seen her around for a while." Harry confessed.

"You might want to check on her. Last I saw, she didn't look well."

"Huh. Maybe I should check on her. But about Ginny-"

"Look mate, I don't want you to do anything stupid. It's not a good idea anyway." Neville tried to worm away from the conversation, giving the red headed girl one more glance, but Harry just grinned at him.

"Alright, I have an idea. I'll let you know what happens later." With that, Harry went away, ignoring Neville's call of "What idea? Come back here Harry!"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Daphne was still nowhere to be seen when he returned to his dorm later that evening. Despite everything, he found himself worrying for the girl, which came as a huge surprise. His usual feeling about her were planning on hexing her or throwing a good insult, so this sudden change took him by surprise.

Going up to her door, he knocked three times. There was no reply at first, but he could hear a faint groaning coming from inside. He knocked again and it sounded like someone groaning again. He checked the door handle for any hexes and found a mild electrocution hex on it. Wrapping a conjured towel around his hand, he took a deep breath and opened the door. He was irritated to find that he still felt some shock despite the towel. _Magical hexes_.

Daphne was in the bed with a bunch of clothes lying on top of her. Her face was quite red and she was shivering, curled up in a ball. She didn't even respond when she saw Harry entering her room. Harry went ahead and touched her forehead and let out a hiss. She was burning hot. Neville was right, after all.

"Shit blondie, you have a bad fever. Lay still, I'm taking you to the infirmary."

"No... please. Your... tea... will be... fine." She managed to whisper out and Harry winced at how weak the usually proud girl sounded.

"That's a no. That tea is strictly forbidden to drink when you are ill. You'll have to go to the hospital wing, Greengrass." He said sympathetically. He could understand the need to stay out of the hospital wing if it could be avoided.

"Please... no." She pleaded with watering eyes, though he suspected the tears were for the fever, not due to her emotions about visiting the hospital wing. Harry sighed. Now he knew how mum felt when dad or Sirius came back from a mission, hurt, but refused to see a healer.

"Alright. Let me put some blankets on you first." He looked around to see a thin blanket on the floor. He guessed that she thrashed around in her sleep and the blanket fell off and couldn't muster the energy to reclaim it from the floor. He threw away the clothes lying on top of her and covered her with the blanket. She was still shivering.

She needed another blanket but he couldn't see one, and there was no way he was going through her stuff to find another one.

"Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." He called as he went to his own room and picked out the only blanket he had. It was pretty cold, but he could put up a warming charm on himself. He draped it over her and was satisfied to see the shivering slowly going away.

He knew she had to be fed plenty of fluids and washing her head would probably help with the temperature as well. He was pretty sure she hadn't eaten anything in a while, so soup was probably the best option. Making sure she did not need him immediately, he put a stopper on the door to prevent more shocks, he made his way to the kitchens.

He requested one of the elves (Mimsy was her name) for some chicken soup and some other fluids. She was happy to oblige as fifteen minutes later, Harry was struggling to balance the large pot of chicken soup, flasks filled with fruit juices and a bag of snacks.

He returned to find Greengrass crawling towards her desk, his blanket dragging behind her. He put the food on her desk and without thinking, lifted her up and put her on the bed, causing her to let out a strangled cry of surprise.

"None of that, blondie." He said firmly. She was shivering again. "Tell me what do you need?"

"Wand... second drawer." She spoke in a weak voice, eyes red and watering. He needed to cool her down soon, he thought as he went to open her drawer and promptly cried out as it shocked him.

"Sorry." She mumbled. Giving her a look of disdain, he picked up an article of clothing lying around and grabbed the handle again, once again receiving a shock, but it was heavily dampened. He picked up her wand from the drawer and handed it to her, the cloth still wrapped around his hands. When she noticed it, she became more flushed than she was, but had a small grin on her face. Harry looked down at the cloth and realized it was a bra.

He quickly threw away the offending piece of garment like he was shocked again and her grin grew slightly wider. Harry narrowed his eyes at her.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself too much for someone who is dying from fever. What did you need your wand for?"

She didn't say anything and pointed her wand at him, muttering something under her breath. Harry didn't think she would be foolish enough to hex him in this state, so he just watched as a gentle, transparent blue light came out of the wand towards him.

"What was that?" he asked curiously.

"You can... now open... my door... and drawers."

"Alright. Now I am going to sit you up." He warned as he gently lifted her by the shoulders and propped her against the headrest. He poured a bowl of soup and conjured a spoon and handed it to her. As soon as her hands came out of the blanket, she started shivering again and Harry cursed himself mentally. He wondered if fate was playing a cruel joke on them as he wrapped her up with the blanket again and pushed a spoon of soup to her mouth, which remained close.

"Look Greengrass, you have three options. Either we share this mutually horrible experience of feeding you soup, or I take you to the hospital wing and let Pomfrey take over, or, and this is my personal favourite option right now, I pour this bowl of soup right down your head and let you rot in here. So which one will it be?" he asked irritably, and after a few moments of trying to glare at him (she really couldn't pull off the look while being wrapped in blanket like a burrito, with watery, red eyes and a flushed face) she finally opened her mouth and let him feed her. The soup was wonderful as she gained the ability to keep her eyes open for an extended period of time without feeling like she would faint the next moment.

It took a while to finish the bowl, mainly because she didn't want to finish the whole bowl but he insisted, stating that he still wasn't beyond pouring the rest of the soup down her clothes. She had to admit though, she felt a lot better once she had the soup.

"Alright you are fed, now let's see about that temperature of yours." Without a warning, he picked her up again, and placed her on the bed in such a way that her head would hang out of the bed, had he not been lifting it up with one hand. Taking out his wand, he conjured a large bowl below her head and gently poured water down her hair. The cool water initially felt very cold to her, but slowly brought down her temperature and soon she was not shivering anymore. She was still weak and hot, but she wasn't burning as much as she was before. Vanishing the bowl and its contents, he conjured a towel and gently rubbed her hair to make it dry.

"Why don't you use a drying charm?" she asked softly, secretly enjoying the feeling. Harry shrugged helplessly. "Don't know one." He waited to see if she put on a charm herself, but she only closed her eyes in response, so he continued rinsing her head until it was reasonably dry. He wasn't surprised when he noticed that she had fallen asleep. He gently laid her head on the pillow and draped the blanket on her carefully, putting her wand, the soup pot that had a warming charm on it, and a water bottle within her arm's reach. With that settled, he left for his room, all the while thinking about how surreal this all felt. _'I actually spoon fed chicken soup to Daphne Greengrass. Did I take any drugs today?'_

* * *

_A/N: A lot of fluff, I know. The dark stuffs coming later. Meanwhile, please review. I look forward to reading your reviews all week. Also, I haven't been getting a lot of new hits on this story recently, so to the readers and writers out there, what is the best time to update to get more hits?_


	7. Soup and Setup

**7\. Soup and Set up**

The next day, after finishing his morning exercise routine, Harry took a trip to the kitchens before coming back to his room. He picked up a basket of breakfast for two. After having his tea, he took the basket to Daphne's room. Thankfully he didn't get an electric shock this time.

She was still sleeping when he entered quietly. He tried not to feel like a creep as he told himself that he was just looking out for her. Her face was not as red as last night and she looked relatively better. He gently put a hand to her forehead and noticed that her temperature was lower than last night, but it was still high. Soup and sleep were good, but they would not make her completely alright. Knowing that he would be mercilessly teased for this later, he went outside and took out his mirror.

"Lily Potter."

The red headed woman was obviously sleeping and Harry felt like kicking himself when she answered after almost a minute.

"Harry? What happened? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, stifling a yawn. Harry never called her in the morning although they were both early risers. She was only asleep today because she stayed up most of the night with the Tonks family and came home just an hour ago.

"Sorry to wake you up mum, go back to sleep. I'll call you later." Harry said with an apologetic face and Lily smiled tiredly.

"It's alright Harry. I plan to go back to sleep afterwards anyway. What happened?" she inquired as she saw him hesitating.

"Um… you don't happen to know how to make a potion for fever, do you?"

"Yes I do. How did you get a fever?" she asked worriedly. Harry had an excellent immune system and he hardly fell ill.

"No, not me. It's… for someone else." He admitted, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Do I know her?"

"Not really… wait, who told you it was a her?" he was bewildered. That woman's intuition was scary. She looked hard at him for a few moments.

"Is it the Head Girl?" she asked with a flat voice and Harry's jaws dropped. Seriously, that woman was scary as hell.

"How… how did you… I mean… how… yeah it's her." He finished, not even trying to hide it at this point.

"What happened? Tell me everything." She ordered, all trace of sleep gone from her face.

So Harry told her everything he knew with some slight changes. How he found her almost unconscious, how he asked a house elf to give her some soup and blanket, and suggested that she washed her hair and how he was asking only because he couldn't be bothered to go all the way up to the hospital wing for her, or worse, with her.

Lily Potter, like every decent mother, had a finely honed bullshit detector for her son and knew that he did more than he admitted, but allowed her son to keep his dignity and didn't call him out. Not now at least.

She gave him clear instruction for the potion and advised him to take her to the hospital wing if he could. She knew that finding the ingredients would be twice as hard as simply taking her to Madame Pomfrey, but if he didn't want to take her there, she knew there was a good reason behind it other than 'not being bothered enough'. She trusted his son's judgement enough to let that pass without comment.

"After you are finished, ask her to take one teaspoon with breakfast, lunch and dinner. She should be okay by tomorrow."

"Okay, thanks a lot mum."

"And Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure you wash the spoons you fed her the soup with before she uses it again."

"I did not feed her-" Harry started in an outraged voice but Lily Potter was already disconnected.

_Damnit!_

He brooded at being caught by his mother like that for a while before giving it up as a bad job and looking at the ingredients. He had most of them in his room and the ones he didn't could be easily picked from one of the greenhouses. Not wanting to climb down all the stairs, he summoned his broom and leapt off the window, bringing him under him mid-flight and accelerated towards the greenhouses. He quickly picked the necessary ingredients and went back to his room the same way he got out and proceeded to make the potion. He was satisfied to see the colour of the potion being exactly as his mother described. He corked the vial and put an unbreakable charm on the vial and went to Daphne's room. Her eyes were open and she stared at him as he sat beside her.

"Morning, Daffy-poo." He grinned widely. To his immense surprise, she smiled in return.

"Morning Harry-lot."

He almost fell out of the bed in surprise as she called him by his first name (partially, at least) for the first time in their entire history of interactions, even if it was a word play on harlot, but he quickly masked his surprise and acted like nothing out of the ordinary happened. He thought he caught a smirk on her face, but it went away so quickly, he wasn't sure if he saw it or imagined it.

"Good one. Breakfast?" he offered her the basket he brought earlier and she scrunched her nose as she picked up a toast and nibbled on it for a while.

"Do you want chicken soup instead?" Harry asked, noticing the girl's lack of interest in the breakfast. For some reason, her face coloured for a moment, only to go back to her neutral mask after a moment.

"Yeah sure. There's still some left?"

"Yeah, Mimsy packed enough to feed a quidditch team." He poured a bowl of soup for her, and with a slightly red face, washed the spoon and gave it to her. She was definitely blushing as she took the bowl from her, last night's memory apparently still on her mind.

Everything was silent for a while as he ate and she drank her soup. Despite everything, Harry felt comfortable, having breakfast beside Daphne Greengrass's bed. He wouldn't call them friends just yet, but they had a sort of camaraderie between each other. He looked around her room properly for the first time. It was a mirror plan of his own room in terms of layout, but Daphne had organized things much differently than him. He noticed that she did not have any Slytherin colours decorating her room. Or many personal belongings, for that matter. Her room was mostly covered with books stacked in organized piles, notebooks and quills almost everywhere, but not in a messy way. She seemed to have a very complicated taste for arrangement.

As she finished her soup, he handed him a teaspoon of the potion he made. She looked at him questioningly and he explained what it was. Surprisingly, she took the potion without a word.

Another silence descended between the two Heads, as Daphne stared out of the window and Harry stared at the wall, neither of them knowing what to say. After a few awkwardly silent moments, Harry rose up and cleared his throat. Daphne looked at him without any expression.

"Er… I'm gonna go, I guess. I'll be back for lunch." He shuffled awkwardly, not sure if he was imposing on her privacy, sitting right in front of her.

Her face fell. She looked down and nodded. Harry didn't know if he was reading her wrong, but he decided to make sure anyway.

"Daphne?" he called from her door, using her proper first name for the second time in his entire life. She looked up. "Do you want me to stay for a while?"

Daphne always prided herself for having the greatest poker face among everyone she knew, but Harry just _knew_ that her eyes lit up at that, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"Sure, if you want to." She answered. He smiled at her and sat down on the chair beside her. He could see her struggling with all her might, but a small smile leaked her face as she looked at him guiltily.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"Oi Warner, take your friend and deliver this package to this address written over here." A man with one eye called to the newcomers.

"Why can't we owl it?" Warner asked, already gathering his cloak. His friend, Alexander, was doing the same.

"Because I asked you to deliver it, not owl it." The man with one eye replied irritably. His friends called him Mason, but these newcomers were not his friends, yet. They just called him boss for now.

"Understood. Who are we delivering this to?" Warner asked, securing the package inside his cloak. His friend was staring off into space, seemingly uninterested in the conversation in front of him.

"Ask for Yaxley."

"Yaxley, alright."

Warner showed the address to his friend, who disapparated with a crack and Warner followed soon after.

Minutes later, they were walking down a stone path, and saw a peacock walking around. They both reached an iron gate where the gate asked in a deep voice, "State your business."

The two men looked at each other before Warner spoke. "Er… package for Mr. Yaxley."

The gate remained still for a few moments, before dissolving away. They kept walking and soon reached a big wooden door that led to a manor. It was a magnificent building that extruded aristocracy from every inch of its polished surface. More peacocks were walking around the place. As Warner raised his hand to knock the door, it opened on its own and revealed a thin, bald man.

"What do you want?" he asked in a voice as coarse as sand.

"We have a package for Mr. Yaxley." Warner repeated. His friend was looking at the peacocks.

"You can give it to me." The bald man extended his hand, but Warner shook his head.

"Sorry, we were asked to deliver it to Mr. Yaxley."

The bald man nodded and waved at them to come inside. A large foyer led to a Hall room, a number of men and a few women, all clad in black robes, were loitering around the Hall. The hall was poorly lit, probably by choice. It had the look of a place which was once very wonderful, but was not very well kept nowadays.

"Wait here. Yaxley is not here yet. He is almost late. The Dark Lord would not be pleased if he is." He left the two men in the hall and went up the stairs. Warner and his friend looked around curiously. The people in the Hall room seemed to be of no importance, like themselves. Warner tried to start a conversation with a short man, but he was ignored. His friend was nowhere to be seen.

A tall man with an aristocratic face entered the Hall and someone whispered, "That's Yaxley". Taking a deep breath, Warner approached the man, who looked like he was in a hurry. He scanned around to see if he could see his friend, but couldn't find him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Yaxley." He called at the man who looked angry for being interrupted.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I have a package for you." Warner replied, noticing a wine glass dropped by a seemingly drunk man in a black cloak.

"Mason sent you?" Yaxley asked with a frown. Warner nodded in affirmation. "You came alone? I was told there would be two people." Yaxley commented with some suspicion.

"My friend is waiting outside for me. He is not a fan of socializing." Warner explained.

"Alright, so hand me the package and get the hell out of here." He reached out his hand, but Warner didn't make any effort to do so.

"Here? In front of everybody?" he asked, giving another look around the room. Yaxley sighed. The man had a point, this place was filled with vermin. He led the smaller man to a small room that offered some privacy.

After a few moments, Yaxley came out of the room, alone, and walked out of the building. A black dog carrying a paper bag approached him and he took the bag from the dog's mouth and put it inside his cloak and walked towards the iron gate that led him out of the property, the black dog following him. As the man and the dog crossed the boundary, the black dog transformed to another man, and together, the two men disapparated.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"Should I call someone? Your friends or your sister?" he asked, as he got up to leave. It was almost lunch time, and he wanted to get some fresh soup for Daphne. She had been having the same soup for a while now.

"No, I'll catch up with them later."

Harry wanted to ask if they would worry about her, but decided that it was really not any of his business. Pushing it aside from his mind, he went out of the portrait hole, waving at Maggie, when he spotted Ginny coming his way.

"Hey Gin, what's up?" he asked as he came close to the youngest Weasley. She was chewing a gum and it was not ordinary gum. When she blew it, it grew to the size of a large watermelon before it burst and stuck all over her face. They both laughed at it as Harry vanished the gum.

"I thought magic was forbidden in the corridors?" Ginny asked with a playful smile. Harry stuck up his nose in the air.

"Yeah, who are you going to complain to? The Head Boy?"

"I could complain to the Head Girl." She pointed out. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Since when do you speak with the Head Girl?"

"Oh well." She shrugged in defeat.

Harry started walking towards the kitchen, Ginny falling into step right beside him.

"So, did you want to talk to me, or were you just wandering around?" he asked her as they walked. It spoke a lot about their friendship that Ginny didn't have to ask where he was going.

"I wanted to talk to you about that bomb shell you dropped on me." She replied with a serious voice and Harry winced.

"Yeah, that. I just thought it would be a good idea to let you know. What do you think?"

Ginny was silent for a long time and Harry didn't break the silence. Finally, she spoke.

"Can I tell you a secret? You have to promise to never tease me about it." She asked seriously and he had to consider for a moment. Teasing Ginny was quite difficult and she was willing to give him ammunition, but without the permission to use it. In the end, he decided to listen to it.

"Let's hear it." He said.

"I used to have the world's biggest crush on The Boy-Who-Lived. Like since I was a baby." She finally admitted, her face red with embarrassment. Harry gaped.

"You? Crush? As a baby?" he practically shouted and she had to cover his mouth to prevent anyone from listening in.

"Yes, but that was before I knew Neville." she explained quickly.

"So?" Harry prompted her.

"So once I was old enough, I realized that he had very little to do with that Boy-Who-Lived business, it was probably more of his parents doing than him. I mean, he was one, for Merlin's sake."

"Fair enough." Harry nodded, appreciating the fact that Ginny was much smarter than most of the wizarding Britain.

"But as I saw him grow up, I realized that Neville was quite the guy himself. He's brave, he's noble, and he's cute as well." she mumbled the last part, but Harry heard her anyway.

"Aww. Does the little Weasley think Neville's cute?" he teased and she elbowed him, which he neatly dodged. A fcouple of first years nearby looked at the commotion. She hurriedly led him to the portrait of the fruit bowl and tickled the pear. As the entrance opened, they stumbled inside to find someone sitting in a lone chair, chewing on some bread and cheese. It was none other than Neville Longbottom.

Harry's grin was threatening to crack his face. Ginny was red as a tomato and Neville was blushing as well.

"Look who it is! The Boy-Who-Lived! How about that?" he had a shit eating grin on his face, and if looks could kill, Ginny would have murdered Harry three times by now.

"Um… hiya Neville." She stammered, still red as a beet. Neville was more intrigued at the pair's strange behaviour than anything else.

"Er… hi Ginny. What's wrong with Harry? Why does he look like he has done something terrible?"

"Stop talking nonsense, mate. I never do terrible things! I merely like to watch out for my friends and help them in difficulties."

Neville suddenly had a bad feeling about Harry's behaviour, and felt like he had to leave before the universe imploded because of the menace that is Harry Potter.

"I should get going-" he started to get up, but Harry pulled him back down, firmly grabbing Ginny with his other hand, who was kicking away at his feet.

"Nonsense! I was just looking for you as I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Then perhaps I should leave-" Ginny started, trying to wrench her hand away and kicking his shin, but the boy acted like he wasn't even noticing her.

"Oh no, you don't. I have important matters to discuss with you as well. Mimsy!"

The house elf appeared, bowing deeply.

"What can Mimsy do for young master?"

"Get me some more soup, will you? Go for different types instead of large quantity. A bowlful of each type would be great!"

The elf bowed again and went away and Ginny couldn't stop her curiosity.

"What's with all the soup? Are you sick?" she asked, while trying to kick his groin.

"Nope, just craving soup like crazy." Expertly blocking her attempts at assault.

Mimsy appeared with six medium sized pots and Harry casted a lightweight charm on them and conjured a bag to carry them. He silently put sticking curses on both Neville and Ginny and got up.

"Alright, I'll let you kids catch up with each other. Just as a conversation starter, you like each other and you're both free next Hogsmeade weekend. See ya!"

Harry bolted out of the door just as two curses aimed at him bounced harmlessly back. The two Gryffindors tried to undo the curse, but they knew very well that Harry's curses could be undone only by Harry, unless he intended otherwise, and it was clear than he did not intend for them to run away.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Ginny spoke first.

"Dibs on first hit on Harry once we get out of this."

"Damnit!"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

By nightfall, Daphne was reasonably well. Her fever was almost gone and apart from being a little weak, she was quite alright. The potion Harry gave her had worked its magic, quite literally, and she felt like she could attend her classes from the next day. It was a stroke of good luck that her illness came on a weekend, otherwise she would have to miss some classes.

She sipped on a cup of coffee Harry left for her. She didn't know house elves made coffee. She would have to remember that. It was a good coffee. She was still a little cold and wrapped the blanket tightly around herself. She didn't recognize the blanket, as her own blanket was a bit on the thin side. She knew Harry had given it to her and thought it was his spare blanket. She would have to get him a blanket for Christmas.

Thinking of giving a present to Harry Potter gave her a weird feeling. They spent most of their school life making life hell for one another. They cursed, hexed, insulted and one particular time even fought each other physically. Although she had to admit, she was the one doing most of the fighting and Potter was mainly trying to hold her off. She didn't even remember what that fight was about, but boy did she feel good after beating the shit out of Potter. Or so she liked to think. She pretended she didn't see him laughing it off moments later, acting like she didn't hurt him at all. It was better that way for her ego, anyway.

But the fact remained that Harry freaking Potter had spoon fed her chicken soup and if that wasn't the weirdest thing in her entire life, she didn't know what was. She had let her mask of coldness down in front of him, and she was surprised to find that it did not bother her nearly as much as it should. It also made her realize that maybe their days as enemies were officially over. Sure, they were not yet buddies who had drinks in the Three Broomsticks together, but not many buddies understood the need to stay out of hospital wing and took care of their sick buddies themselves. He even washed her hair, which felt so good she could kiss him right there if he wasn't Harry Potter and she wasn't Daphne Greengrass and she wasn't nearly unconscious at the time. Still, the thought of their animosity towards each other being over made her a little sad. She had to admit, as much as she used to hate that brat, their constant war was something she secretly cherished. It gave her some much needed thrill in the boring school life.

She was deep in her thoughts, sipping her coffee peacefully when she heard a knock at the door. As she called out "Come in", Harry entered her room with a sleek metal flask in his hand.

"Hey Daphne." He called as he set the flask down on the table beside her bed. She nodded at him. It was still weird to hear him call her by her first name.

"What's that?"

"It's called a thermos. Muggles use it to keep their drinks warm." He explained as he leaned back in the chair that he usually sat on. Of course, by usually he meant for a day. Before that he never even came into her room.

"What's in it? And where'd you get it?" She asked as she took the flask in her hand. It was warm, and full of something.

"It's coffee. You seemed to like it earlier. As to where I got it from, I borrowed it from Hermione Granger."

"Oh, thanks I guess. But what's wrong with a normal flask with heating charms?" She asked curiously. She had noticed that the boy had a tendency to do a lot of things the muggle way. Harry shrugged as he took a cup from the flask and sipped it.

"I always found coffee and magic doesn't go well together. I mean it's still drinkable, but it doesn't taste as good as it did without magic." He explained.

"But house elves use magic." She argued.

"And they didn't make it. I did, in mostly the muggle way."

"Mostly?"

"Well I'm not gonna light the fire with matches or rubbing sticks together like a caveman, would I?"

Daphne didn't know what rubbing sticks together had to do with anything, but she knew matches are sticks used by muggles to light a fire, so she nodded. She was quite surprised that he made a whole flask of coffee for her. Granted, he took a cup for himself, but still it was mostly for her. And that was very weird.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"You remember that one time I beat the shit out of you?"

Harry laughed. He remembered it alright. She was hitting him from all sides, but unfortunately for her, she didn't pack a punch on those hits. Like not at all. So he just let her hit him till she calmed down, relatively of course, and then laughed about it.

"Sure, let's call it that and not you embarrassing yourself. What about it?" She glowered for a while before a grin betrayed her.

"What were we fighting about? I was thinking about it before and I couldn't remember."

Harry tried to recall the events before that fight, but there were so many fights and rows, he couldn't find a clue what brought that particular incident on.

"You know, I haven't the foggiest." He finally admitted. "I think we had way too many fights over the years to remember one single incident."

They looked at each other and Harry burst out laughing, while she shook in silent laughter, and Harry couldn't help notice that she looked quite pretty when she was laughing. He wondered why she didn't do it more often.

"Do you miss it?" She asked, once she regained her composure.

"Miss what?"

"Fighting with each other like mad dogs?"

"A bit, yeah." He admitted with a grin. She chuckled.

"Me too." She admitted.

"Well, I guess we had to stop being at each other's throat constantly at some point." He mused and she nodded.

"I guess. I always thought that day would come after we graduate and I never have to see your face ever again."

"Well, sorry to disappoint." Harry replied with a laugh and stood up and put the backside of his hand to her forehead. She was still a little warmer than normal, but it was a far cry from last night.

"Sleep. You should be completely fine by morning. I'll drop by in the morning to check on you if you're not out by breakfast time."

She nodded. He wished her goodnight and turned to leave when she called him back.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks… for everything." She said in a small voice. He smiled widely before closing the door on his way out.

His room felt a little strange to him. He spent most of the last 24 hours on Daphne's room and now he felt something missing in the room. Of course, his blanket was still with her, but that wasn't what he missed anyway.

"Harry Potter"

The call from his mirror brought him back to reality. He quickly picked it up from his desk. It was his mother.

"Hey mum."

"Where the hell were you?" she admonished. "I have been calling you since afternoon."

"I was… er… around. What's happened?" he asked sheepishly.

"How's the girl? Daphne, wasn't it?"

"Alright, I guess. Haven't seen her in a while."

"Hmm. I called to tell you that your dad and Sirius are back. They came back around noon."

"That's great! How are they? How did their mission go?" Harry asked enthusiastically.

"They're alright. They are sleeping now. Their mission went well. They caught Pettigrew."

Harry's face went blank. With Daphne being sick and worrying about the Tonks family and the health of dad and Padfoot, he completely forgot what their mission actually was. He wished he could have a go at the rat, but knew that his dad, Sirius and Remus had first dibs on the traitor. It was unlikely that there would be anything left of the vermin after the going through other Marauders. He had called his dibs pretty early, and after spending years trying to convince him otherwise, the adults accepted it. They even had an agreement that even if Harry happened to stumble upon Pettigrew, he would do nothing other than stunning him and bringing him back home.

"Harry?" Lily called. Her son had zoned out after hearing about Pettigrew.

"Yeah. Cool. Are they handing him over to the Aurors?"

"No. Ministry is infiltrated by Death Eaters. His capture is kept a secret for now. The Order will question him for information."

This is what he loved about his parents. While they loved him unconditionally, they understood that war did not care for people's age and didn't try to protect him from the ugliness of it. He had been told pretty much everything that happened around and the dealings of the Order of the Phoenix, unless the information was classified, since he was fifteen. Harry had kept their trust and didn't discuss anything he learned with his friends or peers. While his parents thought this was the right thing to do, they also respected other parents' wish to keep their children away from the war. So they made a simple deal with Harry. He kept his mouth shut and they would tell him everything important that happened. It was a good deal, Harry thought. He could prepare for exactly what he was going to face after finishing school.

"Alright, then. Tell the guys to call me when they wake up."

"I will. And you haven't replied to my letter. Are we meeting next weekend?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'll ask her again when I see her next, just to be sure."

"You do that. Bye, Harry."

"Bye, mum."

Putting the mirror in his pocket, he donned his invisibility cloak and mounted his broom. He wished he had dad's invisibility cloak, but knew that right now, he needed it more than Harry did. He took off from the window into the night. He usually came back by this time, but his routine has been off for a while. He had to get back in training.

Hunting season was on.

* * *

_A/N: So a lot of you have commented that I am not describing things enough, and I honestly appreciate the constructive criticism. I always have trouble with description, and fearing unnecessarily long descriptions, I ended up underdoing it. I will try to work on this issue, and I only ask that you bear with me. Also, if anyone is interested in being a Beta, please PM me. A huge shoutout to __**jslee102**__ for the 100__th__ review! Keep the reviews coming. It inspires me to keep writing._


	8. The Meeting

_A/N: I am excited to announce that **slucas123 **has agreed to be a beta for this story, and so far I am embarrassed by the sheer number of mistakes he has fixed, but also grateful for how much more fluent he made the story after the edits. You're the real MVP._

* * *

**8\. The Meeting**

The next day found Daphne sitting on her bed with the biggest moral dilemma of her school life.

Would she continue maintaining the mask of cold indifference towards Harry which would very likely offend him, or would she act all chummy with him like she did yesterday and face the _millions _of questions, rumours and whisperings that would follow her, and of course, facing Tracey and Astoria?

She knew full well that she had been a complete bitch to Harry too many times to count, and Harry had been an infuriating bastard one times too many as well. However, even a blind person could see that their relationship changed in the last two days. Did he deserve that bitchiness from her right after he showered her with incredible kindness? _No. _Did she deserve rumours and whisperings like Neville Longbottom after spending years behind a mask of icy indifference? _Hell, no!_

Her troubled thoughts were interrupted as there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" She called.

It was Harry. He was holding a small cup in one hand and waved with his other hand.

"Morning. Tea?" He offered. Daphne nodded and he came in to hand her the tea. Like before, it was barely a quarter cup full.

"Why didn't you give it to me earlier?" She asked, sipping the tea and suddenly feeling healthy as a horse.

"Because drinking this while injured or ill would heal you momentarily, but it would come back to bite you in the arse later, much worse than it originally was."

"Thanks!" she said, excitedly. "Is there any way to not appear this excited?" Harry laughed.

"You could do some push-ups to burn away some energy." He suggested.

"I have never done a push up before. I'm not sure I can." She admitted, slightly bouncing on the bed. He looked at his watch.

"Alright, well, we have some time before breakfast. Freshen up and meet me downstairs, and we will see about that. Wear something flexible."

She nodded as he took his cup back and left the room, closing the door behind him.

She came out within ten minutes, wearing a t-shirt and yoga pants, her hair tied in a ponytail. Harry took one look at her and promised himself that he wouldn't stare at her butt. It would be a difficult feat if he actually managed that.

"Okay, I'm gonna demonstrate. You might or might not be able to do it normally, but you definitely can do it after the tea." He said, as he conjured two mats.

"What's actually in the tea? Is it some kind of drug?" Daphne asked a bit warily. Harry shrugged.

"I'm not entirely sure myself. But as far as I can tell, they work like a mixture of instant working energy potion and a shot of adrenaline without the negative effects. It is made from a particular magical herb found in the Himalayas, and I have been using it for a while now. So far, I don't have any negative side effects, nor did I have any troubles with any pre-match tests for performance enhancing drugs." Harry explained and Daphne seemed to be satisfied. Seeing she was ready, Harry took a deep breath and dropped to one of mats, which she imitated.

He quickly did ten push ups and asked her to do it. She found it way more difficult than it looked like when Harry was doing it, but she managed 20 before practically collapsing. However, she was not hyper anymore, which was the point anyway, so she considered it a success.

"Fair warning, your arms might hurt a bit later on, especially after your fist push-ups." He warned as they sat comfortably on the sofa. She nodded. She had heard that before.

"By the way, you are still meeting mum next weekend right?"

"What? Oh yeah, of course." She had totally forgotten about that.

"You might want to know that the potion I gave you yesterday was mum's idea."

"Really? That's very nice of her. I'll have to thank her when I meet her."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while before Harry stood up. "You want some coffee? I'm gonna make some before I go down for breakfast."

"Umm… sure." She stood up and followed him to his room, even though she just had tea. She supposed if he could have a cup of coffee after the tea, she wouldn't have any problems either.

His room was neat and organized just like she remembered from the last time she was here. He had a Gryfiindor banner hung on a wall with a number of moving photos pinned beneath. She noticed that quite a few of them were in Hogwarts. Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Susan Bones and the Weasley twins were the ones she could recognise. There was also the one with Gryffindor Quidditch team celebrating the House Quidditch Cup. She felt a strange sense of emotion she could not place when she saw Harry holding Katie Bell's waist.

The other photos looked like his family. A beautiful red headed woman, who she assumed was his mother, featured in almost every photo that was not in Hogwarts. She did a double take as she noticed a picture consisting of the woman with two Harrys. Until she looked closer and realised that one 'Harry' looked older and had a different eye colour than the real Harry. It seemed that Professor Snape's frequent comment on Harry being exactly the same as his father had more truth to it than she realised.

Turning away from the pictures, she sat down on a chair and watched as he pulled out a kettle and put in on what looked like a shrunken stove. He lit the stove with his wand and put the water filled kettle on it. He looked completely at home in front of the stove.

Continuing to look around, she found a strange device on his bedside table, with wires coming out of it. It looked like a muggle contraption.

"What's that?" She asked him, pointing at the object.

"It's a CD player. It plays music. It's a muggle electronic device, but mum knows how to make them work around Hogwarts. Wanna listen to it?" He offered.

"Sure. What's with these wires?"

"They are for these pods, which go inside your ears."

"They what?" Daphne cried, hoping that he was joking. He laughed at her.

"It's alright. Just the tip. Like this." He gently pushed a pod to her ear, which fit quite snugly. She felt a strange sensation inside her as his hand brushed her cheek while placing the ear pod. She nodded quickly and put the other pod in her other ear herself, shaking the thoughts from her head.

"What kind of music do you like?" he asked as he opened a drawer, revealing numerous thin boxes. Daphne shrugged, having no particular preferences. She always thought wizarding music was not very good, and never had the chance to listen to muggle music other than the occasionally blaring music muggles play near King's Cross. He pulled out one thin box and opened it. Inside it was a circular disk, which he took out. He pressed a button on the thing he called a CD player, and a hatch opened, revealing a groove that looked like a perfect fit for the disk. If this was a CD player, she thought, that disk must be the CD. He placed the disk in the groove and closed the latch. He pressed some buttons and took the pods away from her ear and placed one to his own ear. He pressed some buttons before handing the pods back to her.

"This is a song by a band called 'The Beatles'. They are kinda old, but I love them. This song is called 'Yesterday'. Press this button whenever you are ready, and press this when the song is over."

She pushed the button, and a very clear sound came from almost inside her head. She was so surprised at the sound that she jumped a little before quickly regaining her composure. The music was very soothing.

She enjoyed the song as Harry summoned the thermos from her room, cleaned it, poured coffee in it and then poured the rest into two cups and handed one to her, sitting on the bed, facing her.

_Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be_

_There's a shadow hanging over me_

_Oh, yesterday came suddenly_

He raised his cup at her and sipped. She did the same. The coffee was as good as it tasted earlier. She could get used to this, she thought.

_Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play_

_Now I need a place to hide away_

_Oh, I believe in yesterday_

_Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say_

_I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday_

The song was beautiful. The words were so moving and yet so simple! And the music itself was the same. It did not sound too elaborate like an orchestra that her mother sometimes listened to, but it spoke volumes to her. Whatever their shortcomings, she had to admit that muggle music would _bury_ wizarding music any day. At least this band would, if their other songs were nearly as good as this one.

As the song ended, she pressed the button he had shown earlier and pulled the pods out of her ears.

"You liked it?" He asked.

"I loved it. Can I borrow it later?" She pleaded.

"Sure. Actually, I can give you my old one. It's a bit larger but it has a headphone instead of the earphone, so it's not very mobile. Would you like it?" He asked and she hesitated.

"You don't have to give it to me, I just wanted to borrow it for a while. I can borrow that instead if you have it."

Harry waved a hand at her as if it was nothing. He didn't use the old one after his mum brought him the new one. He used to love it, and still did, but he knew Daphne would take good care of it. And a CD player wasn't supposed to gather dust anyway.

"I think you should go down to breakfast." He said, as he noticed the time.

"You're not coming?" She asked, taken aback. He sighed and gave her a wan smile.

"Honestly Daphne, do you want me to come down to breakfast with you? Don't you have a reputation to keep?" He tried to joke, seeing the girl's troubled expression.

She stared at him for a few moments before hanging her head. She suddenly felt very small.

"Hey, it's mutual. I haven't informed my friends that I'm not trying to throw you off the Astronomy Tower anymore, either."

"Like you ever could." She replied, but had a little smile on her face at the same time. "You know what? Let's just go. Everyone knows that we share a dorm and I am sure my reputation would survive."

"If you say so." Harry shrugged. "Lead the way."

They walked in a comfortable silence and although there were a few surprised faces, they quickly seemed to have remembered that they were the Head Boy and Girl of the school. Even Malfoy didn't say anything after a double take.

"Harry! How are- oh. Um… catch up with you later."

Daphne stared at Parvati Patil and looked at Harry who looked thoroughly embarrassed and relieved at the same time.

"Wow, she was… energetic." She commented off-handedly. Inexplicably, she immediately decided that she did not like Patil.

"Don't even start." He whispered.

"So what's the story here?" she asked, her face completely neutral, but Harry knew she was immensely enjoying this.

"I think she has a thing for me." He said shortly. She looked at him mischievously.

"And you don't want her… thing?" She asked innocently as he almost lost it.

"Good Lord, blondie! I thought you were one of the innocent ones!"

"Have you forgotten our fights altogether?" She asked.

"Fair point." He conceded immediately.

"So this is where we part." She said as they reached the Great Hall.

"Unless you want to have breakfast with us." He said with a nod and she lightly snorted.

"Yeah, I prefer not to have exploding brains near my breakfast."

He chuckled at that. "See you later, Daphne."

"You will."

Daphne made her way to the Slytherin table and sought out her best friend Tracey. Although she was not sure if Tracey really considered her as her best friend too. Daphne did not care too much either way. Due to her persona, making friends was difficult for her. It was also something she was not terribly interested in it anyway. Somehow she and Tracey Davis found a sort of partnership, where they understood each other, and shared things with each other. Being a respectable character in Slytherin, Tracey liked the fact that being friends with Daphne meant that people mostly left her alone when she wanted. In return, Daphne enjoyed the occasional moments when she could smile and express herself without compromising her image. Also, Tracey was a great source of information that was difficult to obtain otherwise. In Slytherin, information was worth more than gold.

"Haven't seen you in a while." Tracey commented as Daphne sat down on the empty seat beside her. For some reason, she looked a bit irritated.

"I was a little under the weather. How are things?" She asked, helping herself to some food. Tracey shrugged.

"As well as you could expect, I guess. People are still tense and some folks have been trying to seem more important than they were before. How about you? How's life with Potter?"

"Not as bad as it could be, I suppose." Daphne replied and Tracey snorted.

"You don't say." She replied sarcastically. "You looked pretty chummy with him there."

Daphne blinked once. Then again. Then she shrugged and continued eating her breakfast. "Yeah well, you could say we are not mortal enemies anymore."

"You like him?" Tracey asked bluntly and it was only due to her years of practice of being cool-headed that Daphne managed to not spit out her food.

"What? No. What gave you that idea?" She asked with a scowl. Tracey stared at her for a few moments and then shrugged.

"The way you keep subtly looking at him whenever you think I'm not looking, I think." She answered and Daphne smirked.

"You really thought that would work?" Daphne asked with a little bit of disgust. She knew that it was a common technique Tracey used to extract information out of people. But Daphne would never do something as blatant as steal glances at Harry Potter in the middle of the Great Hall, let alone get caught doing it. She had not built her reputation by being stupid.

"Worth a shot." Tracey said unapologetically. Once again, Daphne noticed the trace of irritation in her friend's voice and she finally connected the dots. She was surprised that it actually took her this long.

Tracey had been saving the seat beside her for someone else. And she could easily spot Blaise Zabini walking in late, looking around for a seat.

"Zabini, huh?" She commented and Tracey's head shot towards her.

"Wha-"

"I'll see you in class. I need to go to the dungeons." Daphne said as she stood up, vanishing her remaining food. "Looking for a seat, Zabini?" She called and the dark haired boy looked a bit surprised but nodded. "I was just leaving. This one's empty."

"Daph-" Tracey called but Daphne waved at her and was gone.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

James Potter and Sirius Black were growing impatient. Remus was supposed to arrive almost half an hour ago, but there was no sign of the werewolf.

"Where the hell is Moony?" Sirius wondered aloud, pacing the small room. On the other side, James was biting his nails.

"Wherever he is, he better not moan if we start without him."

"Yeah, screw Moony, let's get started." Sirius stopped pacing and that exact moment, there was a _crack_ sound, and Remus Lupin appeared, and looked around to spot his friends.

"Where the hell were you Moony?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"I picked up a tail. Had to lose him in a muggle town." Remus explained calmly. The other two nodded in understanding. "I thought you would've started without me."

"The thought didn't cross our mind even once, Moony!" James exclaimed and Sirius looked outraged as well. "How dare you accuse us of such things?"

Remus looked at the pair of them and sighed. "You guys always overdo it. See, if you just casually said that, I might've believed you."

"Damnit Prongs! You and your over dramatic tendencies." Sirius cursed as Remus rolled his eyes.

"I hope you know that you are the biggest drama queen in the history of drama queens." James replied seriously. Sirius started to wear a mask of insulting outrage when he realised he was just proving the other man's point and gave up on it.

"Whatever. Let's go, shall we?" Without an answer, he quickly turned with the other two close behind.

"So he's really here? Alive?" Remus asked James, just to be sure. James smirked.

"Yeah, for now. Can't say anything about the future."

"Hmm, neither can I." Remus replied, his jaws set tight. If anyone saw the usually docile werewolf, they would've known, at this moment, that he had a monster inside him.

They reached a door through which they entered to find Kingsley Shacklebolt speaking with Tonks. The two Aurors looked at the three men and implicitly knew what was about to happen.

"Come on, Kingsley. We should get started on Yaxley in the other room." Tonks said loudly, as the three men nodded and Kingsley glanced worriedly at the door that led to the chamber containing Peter Pettigrew. In his peripheral vision, he caught something that made him try to double back, but Tonks quickly yanked him inside.

"What just happened?" He asked the calm metamorphmagus. She shrugged.

"It's a family matter. Let them handle it." She said, walking towards the stunned figure of Yaxley. Wisely, Kingsley let it go.

In the other room, three old friends entered together. There was a single man bound in a chair, under a full body bind curse, whose eyes grew as large as saucers.

After some wand waving, he found himself able to speak.

"Remus… old friend… please save me. Padfoot… Prongs… please… I told them everything… I knew… please…" the man sobbed.

The three men just walked slowly towards the bound man.

"Oh Peter" Sirius Black started softly. "We don't want any information from you. Yet."

James Potter nodded and handed Remus a vial of potion, which he drank. Sirius transformed into a grim. James Potter waved his wand at Peter Pettigrew, removed all his bindings and stripping him of everything except his undergarments. Although he was now free, technically speaking, Pettigrew never felt so bound in his whole life. He saw Remus transforming into a wolf, and knew he Azkaban would have been a better punishment. Heavy privacy wards were placed around the room.

"We are just going to play a little game of chase, Wormtail." James said in a very casual voice, like he was planning a barbecue on the backyard, before putting his wand away. The dog and the wolf both growled.

Just before transforming into a stag, James whispered, "Transform, rat. _Now._"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Once again, Harry found himself slumped on the floor Head's common room. After the news of Pettigrew, he had overexerted himself and now regretted that decision. He just hoped Daphne wouldn't find him here again-

"Harry?"

_Oh well._

"Here." He tried to be nonchalant, but even he knew he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Want me to bring your tea?" She offered, coming down the short flight of stairs that led to her room.

"No. I had it just yesterday." He replied, trying to stand up.

"You don't have it every day?" She asked, a bit surprised. He shook his head.

"Didn't you drink that stuff? If I took it daily, I'd die within a week. I drink one cup each week."

"That makes sense." She nodded. "So what happened?"

"I… er… worked past my limits and now I'm cramping everywhere." Harry explained through the pain. Daphne looked concerned.

"Don't you know any spell to fix that?" She asked, wondering if this was a common occurrence.

"I do, but I am also magically exhausted, which is why I have the cramps in the first place. Magic usually keeps these things in check." He answered tiredly. Deciding that she could question him more later, she offered a hand to help him up. He grunted as he stood up, trying to put as less of his weight on Daphne as possible. "What are you gonna do?" She asked, half carrying him to the nearest sofa. She tried not to show it, but she wasn't going to last long. It's not that he was very heavy, but Daphne had always been physically weak. On top of that, she really did not need to feel his muscles any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Rest for a while." He answered. "I will be alright within a few minutes. You can put me down now." He added, as she resisted the urge to throw him away and lie down.

Panting from the effort, they sunk into the comfortable sofa. Kicking her legs up onto the coffee table, Daphne asked, "Why don't you go to the hospital wing?"

Contemplating the question, Harry answered, "Privacy, mostly. I don't want Pomfrey or anyone else to know about my injuries because that would raise a lot of questions. I also have a couple of secrets I'd rather not divulge to her." He panted a little from speaking that much in one go. "Why don't you?"

"Pride and dignity, I guess. I also like the privacy." She replied.

"That's pretty Gryffindor of you." He commented with a short chuckle. She tried to glare, but gave up on that pretty quick and smirked.

"Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Daphne asked after she recovered enough to breathe at a normal pace again. Harry nodded at her. "I know you have a hard workout session in the morning, and judging from the small cuts and bruises that you often have when you return at night, I assume you go through a magical training session as well. Of course, I could be wrong, but I don't think I am and what I really want to ask you is why? Why do you train so hard?"

Daphne knew she had asked something personal and it was pushing the boundaries of their newly formed relationship, but she was hopeful as she saw no signs of him getting angry or distant.

"To prepare for what's coming after school is over." He answered honestly. Daphne had already guessed that part, but it didn't make sense.

"I get it that there is a war out there, and learning to defend yourself is a good idea, but don't you think this is a bit too much? I mean, I respect your determination and dedication, but you coming here unable to walk is not exactly normal, is it?" She hoped he was not offended. Not that she would lose any sleep over it if he was, but she preferred to avoid it if she could. It was dangerous for his health anyway.

Harry was silent for a long time, making Daphne wonder if he was reconsidering his routine, or just thinking of a way to insult her. Finally, he spoke, and took her completely by surprise.

"What do your parents do, Daphne?"

"What do- you mean like their occupation?" She asked, just to be sure. It was such a random question. He nodded in affirmation. "Mother is a housewife, tending to family matters mostly, and brews potions as a hobby. Father is a businessman. He is away most of the time though, so we mostly see him in some mornings when we go home. Why do you ask?"

Instead of answering, Harry asked another question, this time with a bit of hesitation.

"If you don't mind me asking, which side of the war does your family lie?" He asked, not quite meeting her eyes. She should have been offended by the question, but for some reason, she couldn't be bothered.

"The Greengrass family has always been neutral. It's a family tradition to remain neutral in any conflicts unless they directly concern our family."

Harry nodded. He knew that, actually. He just needed confirmation. "My family is against Voldemort. I mean we are as far away from him as magically possible. Call it the Light side, or whatever you wish, our family always opposed any tyrants, and opposed them vocally. There is a reason I am the only Potter male of my generation. Every time our family grew in numbers, some Dark Lord hunted us down for fighting back loudly, and we would decrease in numbers again. So what I'm trying to say is, our family is in the frontline of the war, and there's a chance we might not all make it before this war is over. I won't be defending myself. I am going to bring the battle to those bastards and I will wipe out every single one of them that I can lay a hand on. And if I die, I'll make sure I won't die alone. I don't want to do this because it's a family tradition, or it's expected of me. I do this because have a personal vendetta against Death Eaters. I train hard so that when I face them in a battle, I won't be the one defending. I want to be the last thing they see."

Daphne felt like the temperature of the room dropped 10 degrees. Harry had said all that very casually, not even raising his voice any more than normal, but it felt like he was commanding an army, not having a conversation with his sort-of flatmate.

There was a looming silence that filled the room for a while, before she decided to speak.

"Can you show me some basic workouts?" She asked tentatively, not having any idea how his reaction would be.

Mildly surprised, he responded, "Yeah sure, why?"

"I am horribly weak, in terms of physical strength. And I just realised that even though I want to stay out of the war, it might not let me stay out of it. And if I am tired after half dragging you a few yards, I wouldn't last 30 seconds in an attack." She admitted. He nodded in understanding.

"Alright, we'll start tomorrow, what do you say?"

"Start what?"

"I think you need to start jogging first. Build up some stamina before any strength exercises. Be on the front door by seven in the morning. A few laps around the lake should do fine for your first day."

"A few laps? The lake is _huge!_" she exclaimed, but he only grinned. Suddenly, she wished she hadn't helped him off the floor onto the sofa.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The next few days were the worst days of Daphne's life. Harry was a slave driver, and he made her run till her legs felt like jelly. And worst of all, he didn't let her have his tea either. "You can have it before we start working out. Running will build your stamina, and you can't take a shortcut for that."

She even tried to skip one day, but he entered her room, checked if she was healthy, and practically pushed her to the washroom to freshen up. It was only her threat of changing in front of him that he bolted from the room. All in all, he was a menace in the morning, and she regretted ever asking him to help her.

The only fun part was one time when she was so exhausted that she decided to lie down on the Great Hall, unable to climb up stairs. He pulled out a piece of parchment from his pocket, muttered something, put it back to his pocket and then picked her up and carried her all the way up to their common room. She wouldn't admit it with a wand pointed to her face, but she enjoyed the ride immensely. She hoped that he would be tired, carrying her all the way up here, but he just looked bored instead of exhausted. She remembered the time she was ill, when he picked her up, many times, like she was nothing more than a heavy book or something.

Their workouts also created some awkward moments. Harry tried to decide if he loved the person who invented yoga pants, or hated them. He quickly realised that Daphne was a very attractive woman during these laps around the lake, and he had to exert a lot of self-control to stop staring or Merlin help not get caught at least. He vividly remembered one morning when he walked in Daphne's room to find her wrapped only in a short towel. To his credit, he immediately looked away and sprinted out of the room, profusely apologized once she came out, red faced, but fully dressed. They talked very little that day, and Harry never entered her room before knocking from that day on.

Soon, it was weekend, and Daphne was so desperate for a lie in, that she kept her wand pointed at her door, intending to hex him as soon as he entered. Surprisingly, he didn't. When it was half past seven, she knew he wouldn't come. Even more surprisingly, she found that she really wanted him to come. "What's gotten into me?" She thought.

She finally went out of her room at half past eight to see if he was in the common room. He wasn't. Not knowing what to do, she went to his door and knocked.

The door swung open for her. Harry was lying on his stomach on the bed, reading a book. He turned to look at her.

"Hey Blondie, I thought you'd sleep longer."

"What? Why? Besides, I woke up at seven."

"Because today is your rest day. Did I forget to mention that?" He grinned, not apologetic in the least.

"Yes, I believe you did, you evil bastard." He laughed as she punched him on his arms, which he ignored completely.

"Want some coffee?" he asked, rolling out of his bed and taking out his stove. On one hand, she was mad at him for deceiving her, but on the other hand she _did _want coffee.

"Yeah sure." At this point, she knew her glares weren't working anyway. She made a beeline for his CD player, which she hadn't borrowed yet, and opened it. There was already a CD in it.

"So how are things with Patil going?" She asked as she took out the CD.

"I'd say pretty good. Seems like you intimidated her enough to avoid me for a while." He said happily.

Innocently, she responded, "But I didn't do anything."

"You didn't need to. Your regular face is intimidating enough." He said as he lit the stove.

"Uh, thanks, I think?" She said, uncertainly. Harry laughed.

"Yes, I meant that in a good way."

She smirked at him before studying the CD in her hands. The words 'Pink Floyd' and 'The Division Bell' was written on it. She put the pods (they were called earphones, she reminded herself) in her ears and hit the button he had shown her the last time. She noticed that below the button, the word 'Play' was written in a tiny font. Harry noticed her and smiled.

_Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us_

_To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side_

_Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again_

_Dragged by the force of some in a tide_

_At a higher altitude with flag unfurled_

_We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world_

The song was very different from the last one (Yesterday? Or something like that. The band was called the Beatles, she remembered) but beautiful in its own way. It was also longer than any other song she had ever heard, wizarding or muggle.

_The grass was greener_

_The light was brighter_

_The taste was sweeter_

_The nights of wonder_

_With friends surrounded_

_The dawn mist glowing_

_The water flowing_

_The endless river_

_Forever and ever_

She closed her eyes and felt herself getting lost in the music. Never in her life had she experienced something so moving, so beautiful and so emotional. When the song finally ended, she was breathless. She felt like she had been flying for a long time, and just landed. Pushing the stop button, she pulled out the earphones and handed the player to Harry.

"Can you tell me what was the name of the song?" She asked, as he handed her the cup of coffee.

He checked before replying with a smile. "High Hopes. One of my all-time favourites. You like it?" She nodded enthusiastically. Coffee in hand, they sat in comfortable silence.

"When is your mum coming today?" She asked after a while.

"Around noon. What's your plan till then?" He asked.

"I actually asked Astoria to come over here toda. She should be here right after breakfast. What are you doing?"

"Hanging out at the Gryffindor common room, mostly. It's fun to see Ginny and Neville try to hex me every chance they get."

"Sounds... fun? Why are they hexing you again? Not that I don't wholeheartedly support them, just curious."

"I may have set them up for a date today."

"And that's bad because-"

"That's good. They should be thanking me. However, they are a little pissed off since I may or may not have put them on partial body binds and basically forced them to talk and then disappeared. But in my defense, I was busy bringing soup for a sick person."

She was barely managing to hold in her laughter as she managed to say, "I'm sure you were." Before losing it completely and burst out in laughter.

As he laughed with her, he was once again struck by how pretty she looked when she was laughing, and once again, he wondered why she hid it behind a mask. He knew that was a pretty personal question, and not something he should ask now.

They went to breakfast soon afterwards, separately this time, and afterwards, Harry went to the Lion's Den, as he saw Daphne and Astoria walking towards the Heads' dorm.

Entering the common room, he immediately had to swat away a nasty yellow curse that seemed to come from a waiting Ginny Weasley. Immediately afterwards, he dodged another curse, who was standing just beside the wall that contained the portrait hole.

"That's an excellent strategy, attacking perpendicularly. Opponents barely have time to defend two if one attack is from his peripheral vision." He complimented them lazily as they both gave him stink eyes. He ignored them completely and sat down beside Ginny with a big grin on his face, waving Neville over, who obliged, albeit grumbling.

"So, what are you lot up to?" He asked, getting comfortable in the couch. Both of their faces turned pink.

"None of your business, Potter." Ginny snapped and Harry laughed.

"So you _are _going on a date. Good for you! I've always wanted you kids to get together."

Neville opened his mouth to point out that he only told him about fancying Ginny a few days back, but then he remembered who they were sitting with and snapped his mouth shut, giving Harry another glare. Ginny just thumped Harry on the back of his head.

"As much as I'd like to stay and curse you to next week, I have things to do and places to be. So I'll see you in an hour, Neville." Ginny said, as she went up the stairs.

"You do realise what that means, don't you?" Harry asked, looking at Neville seriously. Neville gulped.

"No, what?"

"It means she will take an hour to get ready for your date, you dolt." Harry explained with exasperation. "Be ready to be knocked out because that Weasley's gonna have you for dinner, mate."

"What?" Ron, who was just passing by, asked, thinking that he heard his name being spoken.

"Harry was just telling me that you were eating a lot today." Neville quickly explained, before Harry had him in mortal danger again. Ron grinned.

"Gotta get me some stamina, mate. Got a big date with Lavender. Might get lucky, y'know!" he waggled his eyebrows for extra effect and Harry wolf- whistled.

"Ron, you dog! Good on you mate!" he slapped his arm enthusiastically. "Do you know protection charms?"

Ron's face fell. He was so caught up in the prospect of the possibility of sex, that he didn't think of the actual thing.

"Shit, shit, shit. Fuck me." He swore.

"That's what she said." Neville quipped, finally finding a good use of the phrase Harry was so fond of. Harry barked in laughter and Neville looked pleased with himself. Ron was, however, white as a sheet, and didn't even seem to have heard Neville.

"Harry, mate, you gotta teach me that charm." He pleaded, and Harry suddenly remembered Ron's performance nervousness in quidditch.

"Ron, mate, I need you to be completely honest with me, alright?" Ron nodded violently, looking a bit green. "Have you ever had sex before?" Ron nervously shook his head. _Makes sense, _Harry thought, _he wouldn't be this nervous if he wasn't a virgin._

"Alright, I need you to tell me exactly how far you went with Hermione, and please don't feel any need to be too graphic in your description as she's a friend of mine."

Ron nodded and thought for a while. "I guess we kissed a few times and this one time there was some… groping. Over the clothes, though. And by that I mean I was the one groping, she kinda… stood there." He finished, his face red as a tomato. Harry grimaced. Maybe he should give Hermione some pointers on making out. But then again, he valued his life too much to do that, so maybe not.

"Alright, here's the deal. There are certain things you need to keep in mind-"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

After Sex Ed 101, Harry helped Neville get ready with Ron somehow completely oblivious to his date with Ginny in less than an hour. He came back to the Head's dorm and found Daphne and Astoria lounging on the common room. Noticing him, as if on a reflex, Daphne called "Hey, Harry."

Harry stopped and looked at Daphne, whose eyes grew as big as saucers for a moment before she quickly changed her expression to blank and turned away.

"Hello, Daphne. Hello, smaller version of Daphne." He nodded at both, the latter of which looked at him like he had three heads instead of replying. Of course, being a prefect herself, Astoria was not unfamiliar with the Head Boy by any means, but he usually left dealing with Slytherins to Daphne, and did not really interact with the younger Greengrass to any significant extent. Leaving Daphne to deal with her sister, he went back to his room.

As soon as his door closed, Astoria turned to Daphne with a raised eyebrow.

"Harry, is he now?" She asked nonchalantly and Daphne wanted to kick herself mentally. She waved a hand at the door.

"Oh you share a dorm with someone for so long with no one else around, you eventually come to a first name terms." She explained airily.

"I thought you guys hexed each other every time you saw the other?" Astoria was still suspicious. Her sister knew how to hold a grudge, and this was not normal behaviour for her.

"We are not fifteen anymore, Tori. With NEWTs and Head duties, neither of us have the time or energy to keep hexing each other. Besides, it gets boring after a while when you see each other literally all the time." Daphne explained, hoping Tori would accept that and leave the topic. It wasn't that she was ashamed of being friendly with Harry, she simply didn't want to explain how they became so, and nor did she want to answer any questions that came after that.

"In fact, we are going to Hogsmeade together." She said without thinking how it sounded, and almost winced when her sister gaped at her.

"You guys are _dating?" _She exclaimed and Daphne hoped Harry had his earphones in his ears.

"No, no, no! Not like that. He's going to introduce me to his mum, who used to be a spell crafter. I am writing a paper on spell crafting and she said she would be happy to discuss her work with me. He probably won't be there after introducing us."

Astoria seemed to calm down after that. "I should introduce you two, wait here." Daphne got up, hoping that talking with Harry would help to emphasize the fact that they were just flatmates who were not fighting each other like they did before. She knocked on Harry's door, and it opened for her on its own. Taking a mental note to ask Harry about that, she entered and saw Harry looking up from a book he was reading.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Er… I wanted to introduce you with Astoria, would you mind?"

"Sure, does she like coffee? I was about to pour myself a cup." He asked, getting up.

"I'm not sure. I don't actually know if she had coffee before." Daphne admitted. Harry poured three cups anyway and handed one two to Daphne as he came out, holding his cup.

"Harry, this is Astoria. Tori, this is Harry. Do you want coffee?" She asked the last part to her sister who shrugged and took the cup.

"We have met before." She announced, taking a sip of the beverage. Not bad.

"Yes, we attend the prefect meetings. Unsurprisingly, Blondie does not seem to remember that." Harry replied sarcastically.

"No, I meant before I was made a prefect." Astoria smirked as she saw Harry subtly trying to glare at her.

"Really? When?" Daphne asked in surprise. She knew Harry had a few friends from her house, but she didn't know that he knew Astoria, given that she was two years younger than both of them. And she definitely noticed Harry trying to glare at her sister.

"Oh a few years ago. In the hospital wing." Astoria replied casually, enjoying this entirely too much.

"Did we? I don't really remember anything like that. So which year are you in, Astoria? Second?" He tried to steer the conversation away but Astoria was grinning at this point.

"We did. Daphne was in Hospital Wing due to having boils all over her face and you came to check in on her."

"You promised not to tell." He whined, giving up on keeping it a secret.

"You came to visit me?" Daphne asked with raised eyebrows, secretly amused and feeling quite content all of a sudden.

"I just wanted to see how hideous you looked." He explained.

"You looked pretty upset." Astoria pointed out.

"Because she didn't look hideous enough. And you were too young to know how I looked at that time. Weren't you ten?"

"They don't let you come to Hogwarts before eleven." Daphne interjected.

"Just admit it, you were a sissy and thought you hurt Daphne too badly." Astoria mocked him. Harry glared.

"Hey, even if I don't hex your sister every day, I still have the energy to hex another Greengrass girl for the rest of the year. You feeling up for it?" He challenged and Astoria gulped. While she was a fifth year and considered herself pretty clever, Harry Potter was the Head Boy and had a reputation.

"Daphne will help me, won't you?" She turned to her sister for confirmation who shook her head, silently laughing.

"Hey don't go pulling me between your petty rivalry. It's every man and woman for themselves."

Astoria gave her a look of pure betrayal as Harry gave an overdramatic evil laugh.

"Can't trust a Slytherin. Very important life lesson." Harry said, as if imparting a great word of wisdom to the young Greengrass girl. Daphne fired a hex at him, which he deflected without looking.

"Anyway, I gotta go. I have plans for the day." Astoria stood up, handed her empty coffee cup to Harry. "Thanks for that. See you Daph. Harry Potter." She nodded and left.

"So when should we leave?" Daphne asked, getting up herself. Harry looked at his watch.

"Mum should be there within half an hour. Should we meet at Three Broomsticks?" He asked, thinking about how she probably didn't want to be seen going with him to Hogsmeade.

"No need. I'll meet you here in ten minutes."

As they went to their respective rooms, Harry found his mirror calling his name.

"Hey mum."

"Hi, love. Just called you to tell you that I'll be there within an hour. It's a bit later than I planned, but something came up. Will it be a problem?"

"No, it's quite alright."

"Good. And do you have any plans while I talk with Daphne?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll find if anyone is around and hang out with them. Why?"

"Oh alright then. Melanie was asking if she could come and visit you. Can you show her around while we talk?" Harry smiled at the thought of showing his little sister around the magical town.

"Of course, bring her along. I'd love to see her."

"Wonderful. See you in an hour then." She waved at him.

As the two Heads met in their common room, Harry informed her that his mum would be a little late and she said it was alright. She needed to do some shopping anyway. They went down to the Great Hall and saw Blaise Zabini and Tracey Davis reaching for the door at the same time they did. Apparently, they were going on a date together. Daphne explained how she was about to interview Harry's mother to Tracey, as Harry and Blaise talked with each other as they all went to get a carriage. Harry saw Ron leading Lavender Brown and gave him a cheeky thumbs up. Ron grinned, but then quickly looked away as he realised Harry was with three Slytherins.

They reached Hogsmeade soon enough, and Blaise and Tracey went their own way toward Madam Puddifoots.

"What did you have to shop for?" Harry asked Daphne.

"Let's go to that store first." She pointed at what looked like a clothing store. He seriously hoped she was not going to shop for clothes with him, because if she did, he would rather roam around his own.

"What for?" He asked suspiciously, as they entered the shop.

"I owe you a blanket. Let's get that first."

Harry was pleasantly surprised. He had been meaning to ask for that back, anyway.

"Oh thanks, I was about to ask you to return it. You don't have to get me a new one."

"You're not getting that one back. It's way too comfortable. And why did you want it back anyway? Wasn't this your spare blanket?"

He looked at her incredulously. "Who the hell carries a spare blanket? That was my _only _blanket!"

"What?" She almost shouted. "How did you sleep? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I used warming charms before going to bed. It's not a big deal." He waved his hand.

"But warming charms wear off after a few hours!"

"Yeah but I don't sleep long enough for it to matter much. And I can always recast it if I feel chilly. Really, it's nothing." He tried to wave it away, wishing he hadn't said anything. Daphne was clearly feeling guilty, and he felt bad for causing that.

"Do you guys want something or-" the shopkeeper asked.

"Get me the most comfortable blanket you have." Daphne ordered. The shopkeeper nodded and went to the back.

"Thank you, Harry." She asked, sentimentality creeping into her voice.

"What for?"

"For being who you are." She said quietly, as a heavy silence cut into the room around them. Harry didn't know what to say. He finally decided he shouldn't say anything, and reached out for her hand to give it a squeeze, a silent acknowledgement of the moment between them.

"Will these work?" The shopkeeper came back with three blankets, and Daphne chose a cream-coloured one and asked it to be delivered to the Head's Dorm.

They went to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop to stock up on stationery and then went on to Tomes and Scrolls to browse some books. Losing track of time, Harry felt his mirror vibrate.

"Harry, we're here. Where are you?" His mother asked.

"Oh, we're on our way. Wait for a bit." He answered and informed Daphne that they had to leave. She quickly paid for a book and they apparated right in front of The Three Broomsticks. Harry entered the pub and was pleasantly surprised to see not only his mother and sister, but his father and godfather as well. Daphne nervously followed behind him.

"Dad! Sirius! I didn't know you were coming." He said before hugging his mum and sister and then throwing a punch towards Sirius's stomach, which he dodged. His father slapped his back affectionately.

"We were in the house when Lily said that she was meeting you, and we decided to tag along. We're not here for long though. Just saying hullo."

Harry turned at Daphne and introduced everyone.

"Daphne, this is my dad, James Potter. That old dog over there is Sirius Black, my godfather. This is my mum, Lily Potter, and that kitten over there is Melanie Potter, my little sister. Every one, this is Daphne Greengrass, Head Girl from Slytherin."

A chorus of 'hi, how are you doing?' rained down as Daphne shook the adults' hands and patted Melanie's cheeks.

"Mum used to be Head Girl as well. And Dad was the Head Boy." He informed Daphne who looked mildly surprised.

"Is she the one you asked me to look up blonde jokes for?" Sirius stage whispered as Daphne blushed. James snickered while Lily smacked Sirius on the back of his head.

"Yeah, that's me." Daphne admitted sportingly, as Harry kicked Sirius in the shin and the mutt let out a yelp. Lily handed Harry a medium sized box.

"Here's your stuff. Don't shrink it."

Harry nodded as he asked Rosmerta, the pub owner, to keep it for him. He would take it with him when they left.

After exchanging some pleasantries, James and Sirius said that they had to leave. Harry stood up with them, picking Mel up and seating her on top of his shoulders and let the two witches get on their discussion.

As they walked out of the pub, Harry put up a privacy charm around them, excluding Melanie, who was just too young to understand what they were talking about anyway.

"So how's the rat?" He asked casually and the two men smirked.

"Alive." James replied. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"For now." Sirius added, before giving a toothy grin. "It's more fun that way."

Harry nodded. He could understand that.

"So who else did you get?"

"Yaxley. He and the rat gave us a whole lot of information but Voldemort's pretty smart. As soon as they realised that these two were missing, they relocated almost every major hideout. We raided Malfoy's house clean though. That's where the rat was hiding before we caught him."

"So their info was worthless?"

"Not totally, we caught some unbranded people that did business with Death Eaters or were sympathetic. We also raided one safe house, but it was mostly new recruits, so we had to let them go after erasing their memory.

"Ministry still not helping?" Harry asked darkly.

"Infiltrated to the core. We are still not sure if Fudge is really that incompetent or under the Imperius. He could be a Death Eater as well, but that doesn't seem likely." Sirius answered.

"Anything I can do?" Harry asked, as they stood near the Post Office.

"Keep an eye out. Especially the older Slytherins and Ravenclaws. We heard rumours that Voldemort has a spy in the school. Not from a reliable source, but it doesn't hurt to be careful. Ask Neville to keep an eye out as well. He would be the second most important target in school after Dumbledore."

"Alright, I'll tell Neville."

The two older men nodded at Harry as he took down the privacy charms, and said goodbye to Melanie, who was getting bored, and disapparated with a crack.

"Ready to see Hogsmeade, Mel?" Harry asked, as he put on a warming charm on his sister.

"Yeah!" The little girl shouted, finally happy to get some attention.

"Okay, let's go to Honeydukes first then and let your brother spoil you."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Harry returned with Melanie almost two hours later. They tasted a lot of candies in Honeydukes. Harry knew his mum wouldn't be happy, but as a big brother it was his duty to spoil his little sister. They visited the Post, where Mel got a kick out of all the owls perched there. After, he showed her the Shrieking Shack and told her how it was believed to be haunted. Melanie was a bit too young to even understand what a haunted house meant, though. Finally, they went to Zonko's, which was Melanie's favourite by far. She really enjoyed the joke products, and Harry bought her a clown mask that made funny faces and blew raspberries at nearby people.

They saw many of Harry's friends during the tour, including Hermione, who tried to lecture Melanie about the history of Hogsmeade before Harry reminded her that Mel was three and Hermione had blushed, looking embarrassed. They also saw Dean Thomas with a younger Hufflepuff girl, Seamus with a Ravenclaw he could not place, Susan, Hannah and Justin hanging out near a tree, and finally Neville and Ginny, who were both smiling broadly. Ginny played with Mel for a while as Harry and Neville watched. They admitted that they were having a good time, but still promised to get Harry back for the kitchen incident. He spotted Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle talking with an older man, and he decided to watch out for Malfoy, remembering what his dad and Sirius told him.

They returned to The Three Broomsticks to find that Hermione and Su Li had joined Daphne and his Mum, all in the middle of an animated discussion. The siblings joined the scholarly women and Harry gathered that they were discussing about the limits of magical healing. Their lunch was just being served and Harry ordered sandwich and butterbeer for him as well. Mel was already full from eating candies, for which his mum glared at him, and they all ate amid light conversation.

Soon, Lily had to go and she firmly took the check, ignoring the protests from the three girls. Bidding goodbye to all of them, she left with Melanie, who looked about to cry when Harry kissed her cheek and ruffled her hair. She wouldn't apparate or take a portkey with Melanie, so she went to the Hogsmeade Station to catch the Knight Bus, and with that, Hermione and Su Li went their own ways. Harry and Daphne roamed around for a while, before Harry collected his box from Rosmerta and decided to call it a day.

The pair decided to walk to school instead of taking a carriage. Mostly, they talked about Harry's family. Daphne was a huge fan of Lily Potter. Though she didn't really believe in all the pureblood supremacy stuff like some of her Slytherin classmates, she was surprised that a muggleborn woman had such a deep understanding of magic and its workings. In the short while she had talked to her, Daphne had learned more about spell crafting and magic than months of reading numerous books.

"I didn't actually know that you had a younger sister." Daphne admitted, entering the Great Hall.

"It's okay, not a lot of people know actually. You don't have another sibling, do you?"

"No, it's just the two of us. You seem to be pretty close with your sister?"

"I love her." He admitted. "She's precious. I think I'm gonna be one of those overprotective older brothers who hexes any boy daring to look at his sister. She might hate me for it when she's older." He grinned.

They reached their common room to find a bag that contained Harry's new blanket. He thanked her again and then put the box his mother brought on the table.

"What's this?" Daphne asked curiously, as he opened the box.

"It's for you. I asked mum to bring it along with her."

The box contained his old CD player. It was bigger than his current one and had headphones attached to it. It was in pristine condition.

For a long time, Daphne looked torn, unable to articulate how to say thank you for the thoughtful gift. Emotion bubbled in her throat.

"Thank you, Harry." She finally managed, "You are the best kind of friend someone could hope for." Hesitantly, she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.

_How about that!_

"So you were so worried about me that you visited me in the hospital wing?" she asked, mischievously, as she let go of him.

Harry groaned.

* * *

_A/N: There you go, a bigass chapter. Because I am not going to update again for a while. __Just kidding. __Or am I? Reviews will help me decided for sure._


	9. Wounds

**9\. Wounds**

Harry was furiously dodging spells from all directions. His hands were tied behind his back. That was taking a toll on his mobility, but did not stop him. Yet.

Gradually, the speed of the spells coming at him increased to a pace that became impossible for him to keep dodging. More than ten spells were coming at him each second, from ten different directions, and after a while he got tagged by one spell. He freed his hands and kept weaving away from the incoming spells.

The barrage of the spells kept coming faster and faster until he couldn't keep up and he waved his hand. All spells ceased. Upon inspection, he had small cuts and angry spots all over his body and was panting heavily. He wanted to keep going, but knew that any more might cause Daphne to find him passed out near the entrance of the dorm. While their relationship had continually developed, he didn't actively seek out embarrassment. He waved a hand over his body and felt a cool tingling as his magic started to heal the cuts and bruises. Idly, he made a reminder to himself to learn the equivalent spell of this with a wand. It would be useful to heal someone who did not know about his magic.

After some light exercise to cool down and checking the Marauder's Map, hef left the Room of Requirement. As he reached his dorm, he saw Daphne was heading out.

"Hey." He called at her. She grinned.

"Not crawling today?" She asked with a smirk.

"I thought I'd try a dignified entrance today."

"Hmm. About time, I'd say."

"You heading out?" he asked, jumping on the sofa.

"I figured I should go down to the dungeons every now and then. I might lose the few friends I actually have there."

"You have friends?" Harry exclaimed in mock surprise and she flipped him the bird.

"Piss off, mophead." She said, with a smirk on her face.

"You wound me, Daffy-poo!" Harry cried and Daphne laughed at his antics before firing a Stinging Hex at him and leaving the dorm quickly before Harry could retaliate.

As she climbed out of the portrait hole, she quickly turned her face to its normal expressionless self. She had been smiling and laughing more often than she ever had in Hogwarts and suspected that the raven haired Gryffindor was responsible for most of it, if not all. It scared her a little bit.

Almost all her life, she had actively tried to avoid any kind of attachment to anyone. And she had mostly succeeded. Apart from her mother and Astoria, she did not have much of an attachment to anyone. She didn't think that she would have any trouble to live without even Tracey or Millicent, her only two friends in Slytherin. Of course, she had no desire to test that theory, which was probably the only reason she went to the Slytherin common room every now and then. She tried to invite them over to the Head's room, but they did not seem very excited about the idea.

However, the most worrisome fact was that when Harry was out training or quidditch practice ran late, she found herself… missing him. Missing the coffee, the music, and even his sense of humour. Like any sensible Slytherin, she tried to ignore it and hoped it would go away. She even actively stopped herself from seeking out conversation with him too often. Of course, that was a bit difficult seeing as they were literal flatmates.

Once she reached the Slytherin common room, the door opened automatically for her, as it recognized her as the Head Girl. Some younger students stopped whatever they were doing and looked guiltily at her. She got some satisfaction knowing that her reputation was intact. The older students were not as intimidated as them, but most of them still moved out of her way when she was moving.

She found Millicent sitting alone with a book and approached her. She noticed Daphne and offered a half-hearted smile. Daphne sat next to her and looked around. Tracey was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Blaise, for that matter.

"Looking for Tracey?" Millicent asked and Daphne shrugged. To be fair, she was never _that_ close to Millicent anyway, but they were both friends with Tracey, who sort of forced them to be friends as well. Daphne had nothing against her, but she found that holding a conversation with her without Tracey acting as the glue of the group could become a little awkward.

"She is out with Zabini, I assume?" Millicent snorted with, Daphne noted, a bit of irritation. Apparently, she did not like to share her only friend with a guy. Figures.

"Yeah. Often times she does not sleep at the dorm nowadays." Millicent muttered. Daphne raised her eyebrows at that.

"It must get lonely in the dorm sometimes, then?" Daphne asked.

"Actually no. Haven't you heard? Draco broke up with Pansy again. Now she rarely leaves the dorm besides classes and prefect duties. She cries almost constantly whenever she is in the dorm. It gets old real fast."

'No surprise,' Daphne thought.

She knew it would happen sooner or later. Pansy would never become the future Lady Malfoy. Daphne could see that when they were thirteen. She was a bit surprised that Draco kept her around for so long. Then again, Draco did not have everything go his way in the last few years as well.

"No, I actually hadn't heard that. Makes me kinda glad I don't have to sleep in the dorm." Daphne said and noticed a flash of jealousy cross Millicent's eyes.

Before she could reply, the entrance opened to let in Draco, Greg and Vincent. Draco's eyes fell directly on Daphne and he sneered.

"Look who has finally graced us with their presence." He loudly called.

"Millicent, do you see Malfoy's father nearby? He seems to be extraordinarily impressed by someone nearby." Daphne shot back, sweetly looking at the girl in front of her, who looked like she wanted to disappear and never be a part of this conversation.

"Be careful Greengrass. Your Gryffindor boyfriend is not here. You will do well to remember whose House you are in." He threatened with a silky voice, unconsciously attempting to sound like his father. Daphne looked straight at him.

"Why Malfoy? I certainly don't need two bodyguards around me all the time inside _my_ common room. If you want to say something, I suggest you either say it, or stay out of my earshot altogether." She told him in an icy calm tone.

There was a pregnant silence in the common room. Draco took a few steps closer to her, while Daphne deliberately turned her back to infuriate him even further. However, her body was taut as a spring, ready to go on the offensive in a moment's notice.

"You will find that you need to respect certain individuals when talking to them, Greengrass." Draco said dangerously, his eyes flashing. "Times are changing, and that badge will do literally nothing for you outside school. Particularly with the company you are keeping these days. You're swimming against the current."

Every instinct she had told Daphne to ignore the words and leave the common room. But something inside her would not let her.

"What? You think wearing a mask and tattoo like your father will make you a big boy, Malfoy?" She called scathingly with as much venom as possible, discreetly pulling out her wand. Malfoy's eyes flashed with fury.

"Do not try to rise above your station, Greengrass. You don't want to get on my bad side. My friends are not limited to Hogwarts."

"Oh Draco, I don't think your masters will appreciate you calling them 'friends'. You do know that you are just a tool to them, right?"

Malfoy's wand was in his hand in an instant and in the next instant it flew away at Professor Snape's feet.

"Care to explain what is happening here?" The potions master asked silkily, and Malfoy glared at him with unhidden venom.

"I was about to hand Malfoy a week's detention for attacking the Head Girl, sir." Daphne replied calmly, her face emotionless. Snape looked hard at her for a few moments.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself, Mr. Malfoy?" He asked Draco, who looked like he would rather eat a slug than explain himself to him.

"I was provoked." He said through gritted teeth. "Sir." He added after a long pause. Snape's eyes steeled.

"I will oversee Mr. Malfoy's detention, Miss Greengrass. Meanwhile, try to exercise restraint on your speech. As Head Girl, you are expected to set an example, not provoke confrontations." Snape said with a sneer.

Daphne looked at the man for a few moments before nodding.

"Yes sir." She replied politely, but firmly. Malfoy was looking pointedly at the ceiling, determined not to make any eye contact with the Head of the House.

"Mr. Malfoy, please accompany me to my office." Snape drawled. Draco looked at him challengingly.

"I have some homework to catch up on, Professor." He replied and Snape's eyes flashed dangerously.

"I am sorry if I gave you the impression that it was a request. Mr. Crabbe, Goyle, find something else to occupy your time, as Mr. Malfoy is not likely to return very soon."

As a red faced Draco followed the billowing robes of Severus Snape, Daphne spotted Astoria standing at a corner, staring at her. Daphne closed her eyes. She was regretting visiting the common room in the first place.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"Harry!" A voice called. Before turning around, Harry clearly knew the voice.

"Katie! What are you doing here?" He asked brightly. A bit too brightly, if he was honest.

Katie Bell was as beautiful as ever, dressed in a simple white blouse that gave a nice contrast to her dark hair, which was longer than Harry remembered.

"Looking for you, actually." She admitted. "Where are you headed?"

Harry was actually headed towards the Gryffindor common room but suddenly did not feel like going there anymore, particularly with present company. Too many memories.

"I was thinking of visiting Hagrid actually." He lied. "You said you were looking for me?"

"Yes, but where did you come from?" She asked, looking down the corridor Harry just came out of.

"My dorm. I'm the Head Boy." He explained with a strained smile, and she looked surprised. Then she gave him a genuine smile.

"Wow, I am so happy for you! Congratulations." She said with a smile.

"Thanks." Harry smiled embarrassedly. "So what brings you back to Hogwarts?"

"Well, I was actually hoping you would write a letter for me." Katie said, wringing her arms nervously. Although they ended their relationship cordially, there was still some awkwardness.

"What for?" Harry asked and Katie smiled awkwardly again.

"You know that I wanted to pursue my quidditch career, and I… uh, is there any chance we could talk in private? There are some things I cannot tell anyone about, and I don't want to breach a contract before even starting my career."

"Er… let's go to the Head's dorm then. It has only one more resident." He joked.

"If it's not a problem, lead the way." She followed him as he walked back to the dorm.

"This is as secure as you can get." Harry said, gesturing for her to take a seat. She looked around the dorm with interest before taking her seat.

"Thanks. As I was saying, I was called to try out for Ballycastle, and I did pretty well there. Now they want me to get a recommendation from my last captain and my Head of House before I can be considered for any offers."

"Congratulations! That's awesome." Harry said, exuberantly. "Let's get started then."

He summoned a parchment and set to write the letter. There was some light conversation, each politely enquiring how the other's life has been. Harry wrote in a fast pace and finished quickly.

"There you go. Is that alright?" He handed her the letter, and she read it. The letter was quite flattering, as Harry praised her prowess as a chaser and as a team player quite lavishly. It was perfect.

"This is brilliant. Thanks Harry." She stood up and placed a kiss on his cheek, much to Harry's surprise.

"Oh good you're here-"

Katie jumped away as Daphne picked that exact moment to return to the Head's dorm. She stared at the scene before her, and her face went from annoyed to shocked to blank within the blink of an eye.

"I'm sorry. What are you doing here?" Katie asked, wondering why Harry's worst enemy, as far as she knew, was in his dorm.

"I think it is more fitting for _me_ to ask that question. Last time I checked, you were a graduate, were you not?" Daphne asked icily, and Katie looked at Harry with a frown.

"She is the Head Girl. It is as much her dorm as it is mine." He explained, desperately wishing he could crawl under his father's invisibility cloak and vanish forever

"Oh. I'm sorry for you. Stuck with _her_ of all people." Katie said, knowing Harry and Daphne's history. Harry just put his head to his hand.

"Did you need anything else, Katie?" He asked in a muffled voice and the girl's jaw hardened.

"No. Thank you for the help. I'll see myself out." She grabbed her letter and left in a huff. Daphne was looking at Harry with cold eyes.

"It was not what it looked like." Harry started, but Daphne cut him off.

"I was not aware we were allowed conjugal visits inside the Head's dorm. Maybe I should go through the rule book one more time." She shot at him, her voice laced with venom. Harry's eyes hardened.

"Don't talk about things that you don't know anything about." He spat out through gritted teeth. Daphne laughed without any humour.

"Oh yes. How silly of me to presume to know all the secrets of Harry Potter." She said in a mocking tone. "Merlin forbid I dare to interrupt his make out session with an ex."

"I told you it was nothing like that, you miserable bitch." Harry yelled. "But I don't owe you an explanation. Just go fuck yourself for all I care." He got up and went to his room, fuming.

Daphne was still standing beside the entrance and was trying very hard not to let a tear escape. Why was this upsetting her so much. Harry was perfectly free to snog whoever the fuck he pleased. It was not against the rules to bring visitors, and even if it was, it was not like she was going to snitch on him. They had literally countless rows over the years, and none of them stung as much as this did.

"You were wrong, you know."

Daphne looked at the portrait of the Blue Mistress, who guarded their entrance.

"Pardon?" She asked with a shaky voice.

"It is not my place to say anything, but your assumption was wrong. He just wrote a letter of recommendation for that girl. She kissed him on the cheek as a thank you gesture. It really took him by surprise."

Daphne wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Not only had she jumped to a wrong conclusion, she also estranged the one person she felt the closest to in the whole school.

"What do I do?" She asked in a whisper to the portrait, who smiled wanly.

"Talking would be a nice first step." She advised gently.

"But how do I talk to him? I am sure he hates me now."

"I think we both know that's not true." The portrait of the Blue Mistress was secretly amused, the situation reminding her of another pair of Head students long ago. She hoped that the current Head Girl would be brave enough to go and apologize like the other Head Girl did. However, Lily Evans was a Gryffindor.

"Daphne."

She looked at him, standing at the door of his room. Head bowed.

"I'm sorry I yelled. I didn't mean what I said." He said quietly. Daphne walked towards him and came to a stop right in front of him. She felt a very strong urge to do something foolish and wonderful. Butterflies knotted in her stomach, but she somehow managed to keep her emotions in check.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." She said in a voice threatening to crack. "I jumped to the wrong conclusions without knowing what was going on. I was stressed when I came in, and even though that does not excuse my behaviour, I was not thinking straight. I am sorry about what I said."

"C'mere." He muttered before pulling her into a hug, which she returned. It felt right. Normal even. They stayed in each other's embrace for a few moments before Harry asked, "What were you stressed about?"

Daphne gave a watery laugh and broke the embrace before answering.

"Well, it involves two people you love very much. Snape and Malfoy."

"Sweet Merlin." He exclaimed and she laughed at his expression.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

It wasn't long before snow filled the grounds, and winter break loomed. Only Snape and McGonagall taught something new on the last day of the term. The seventh years had plenty of homework, though. NEWTs were, true to their name, nastily exhausting, and even Harry had sacrificed training time in favour of studying more. Daphne had continued running every day except Saturdays, slowly building up her stamina to avoid panting like a dog. Harry said she would begin working out after the winter break. She informed him that she didn't feel nearly as tired as she used to feel before and could focus better on studies as well with the increased energy.

Her paper was coming along nicely, and sometimes Harry lent her his mirror to talk with Lily Potter. Daphne was a fan of Lily, who had insisted that Daphne call her by her first name. Lily took the young Slytherin under her wing, delighted to find such a smart and witty girl with an appetite to learn. It reminded her of her own younger self.

Neville and Ginny went on a few more dates and they absolutely hated Harry now, as he caught them snogging in a broom cupboard. Ron tried to grumble at the pair dating, but Ginny threatened to use her Bat-Bogey on him and that was the end of it. Harry felt very happy for the couple, who were his best friends in school. He was especially delighted to see Neville not as depressed as usual, considering the load he bore in the war to come.

When the pair noticed that Harry Daphne's relationship had changed, Harry introduced them to Daphne properly. Of course, there was some proper ribbing from the two of them over the status of his relationship with her, but Harry brushed it off easily.

There was some wariness from both sides at first. Daphne being Daphne and Neville still scared of her. Harry forced them to spend time together with him and after a while they began to warm up to each other. If Harry had his way, they would all be friends with each other, but even he couldn't force people to be friends right away and was content with them being friendly for now.

Every now and then, Harry brought his other friends to hang out with him and was secretly amused by their reaction to Daphne. Seamus and Dean were quite scared of her, but also thought she was 'a bombshell.' Hermione tried to be too polite and Daphne only refrained from saying something intimidating to her out of respect for her academic excellence and intelligence, which was very close to her own, if not more. Susan Bones, surprisingly, made the most progress in the very few times she visited with Hannah and Justin. Daphne admitted that there was something about the redhead Hufflepuff which made not talking to her quite difficult. Luna Lovegood, however, was the only person who managed to intimidate Daphne with her quirky but insightful personality.

Astoria visited more frequently too now that she wasn't wary of avoiding Harry, and she always demanded coffee from him every time. Of course, Harry always obliged. Daphne even showed Astoria the CD player Harry had given her. Astoria loved Iron Maiden and Metallica and shot envious looks at the device every time. Harry had asked Daphne to bring her friends along as well, and Tracey sometimes did visit them, but Millicent was not particularly interested.

On the outside, the war was heating up as several muggle villages were attacked and a few muggleborn families were killed by the Death Eaters. The Order couldn't find any more leads from Yaxley and Wormtail's intel, and they were given the Draught of Living Death and left in a holding cell under the Fidelius Charm. James and Sirius tried to capture more Death Eaters, but they only found rookies who knew nothing of import.

Lily was doing some research, of which no one but herself and Dumbledore were privy to, and stocked up on medical potions and supplies for the inevitable conflict. Sometimes, James took her along with his reconnaissance missions, but patience was not her strongest virtue, which came as a surprise considering her potions expertise. After those missions, she decided that she would only go when there was a battle. Remus made almost zero progress on the werewolf front, as most werewolves took his pleasant personality as a sign of weakness. He often came back, chased down by other werewolves because Dumbledore strictly forbade him to engage in any kind of violence, even in self-defence.

It was the first day of the holidays, and Daphne and Harry were packing their trunks to take their essentials home. Daphne decided to take the CD player with her, mainly because Astoria had reminded her to bring it a million times already. Since Daphne liked almost every artist he gave her, she borrowed some Beatles, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash and U2 for herself, and Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Black Sabbath for Astoria. Of course, she had to swear that she would bring them back in good condition, or else there would be hell to pay.

Being the Head Boy and Girl, they were the first on the platform of Hogsmeade station and supervised as students climbed abroad. Most of the prefects were going home, so they had plenty of people for rounds. Harry and Daphne patrolled the corridors themselves as well, though it was not required of them. Seeing the Head Boy and the Girl on patrols made troublemakers reconsider any bad decisions, and Daphne even put a fifth year Ravenclaw and a fourth year Hufflepuff on detention as soon as the term started, when they found the couple in a girl's toilet snogging. Harry saw Seamus trying to pull Parvati into a boy's toilet, but a stern look from him made him change his mind, and the red faced couple went back to their compartment. To be honest, he was quite relieved that Parvati was now focusing on Seamus instead of him.

All in all, it was a busy ride to London and Harry and Daphne barely spent time with their friends as the train stopped in King's Cross station. After checking if all the compartments and the toilets were empty, they finally grabbed their luggage and stepped out of the train. Lily Potter was there, waiting for Harry, and Astoria was waiting for her sister with their mother.

Harry went to hug his mother and Daphne went to her mother and did the same. She spoke quietly to her mother for a moment and then came towards the Potters to say hello to Lily, who greeted Daphne with a hug. She introduced them all to her mother, Isabella Greengrass. She was a pleasant, beautiful woman who, it turned out, was two years ahead of James and Lily Potter in Hogwarts. They exchanged pleasantries for a while before they went their separate ways. The Greengrasses all apparated away as Harry and his mother went to muggle London to grab some pizza, which both Harry and Lily absolutely loved. James didn't mind eating it but wasn't very enthusiastic about it either, while Sirius loved is tool. Surprisingly, Remus hated it, joking that it was too cheesy for any self-respecting werewolf.

On their way, Harry explained how cleverly he had set up Ginny and Neville and Lily was impressed. She had thought about doing something similar to a few friends while in school, but never did it. She inquired if he had a girlfriend, and Harry honestly replied that he had been way too busy to spend much time with his friends, let alone having a love life.

Lily informed him that she had invited Master Zhi to visit them during the break, and he would be coming for a day sometime before Christmas, though he did not specify a date. Harry was anxious. On one hand, he was about to have a training session that would be more effective than anything he had done in school, but on the other, a full day's training with the man meant he would spend Christmas in bed, recovering from the gruelling session.

_At least the next few days would be interesting_

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"My loyal Death Eaters." Voldemort began in his high, cold voice that most of the country was terrified of. "It is time that we show our enemies what are we capable of."

He looked around the room and studied the face of each and every Death Eater present. The Inner Circle stood close to him, all without their masks.

"This time, your mission is to send a message." He spoke softly, although everyone could hear him very clearly. "This time, we show our adversaries what happens when they stand in our way."

"WE CRUSH THEM!" he suddenly screamed, and a few rookie members flinched. Voldemort stared at them for a moment and everyone braced themselves for a bout of torture. However, it never came. Voldemort did not want to lower his men's morale just before a mission this important.

"Make them fear you." He whispered, looking hard at the flinching rookies. "Crush the blood traitors like the vermin they are."

"Mudbloods and blood traitors are not welcome here."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

A few days before Christmas, Master Zhi arrived in the early morning. Lily and Harry were the only ones up. Zhi wanted to take Harry for a walk right away, but Lily almost forced him to stay for a while and have breakfast with them. When she first met Zhi, she was very wary of him. There was no mistaking of the power that he possessed, but unlike Dumbledore, he was not very charming or amicable, which made him seem rather unapproachable and intimidating. Also, this was the man responsible for Harry training hard from quite a young age, which she did not approve of at first.

She remembered their first trip to China. She had always encouraged Harry to seek out knowledge, and when the young boy wanted to visit China to learn more about their magic, she actively supported it. After a rather tiring journey to the Himalayas, when they reached the temple, Lily and James thought the experience would be enough for Harry, seeing that the monk of the temple did not look to be in a mood to talk. She was apprehensive of leaving Harry in the middle of a mountain, but Mr. Li had convinced her that he was absolutely safe, and he had more of a chance to talk with the monk if he were alone.

She was very relieved when Harry finally returned hours later. She had wanted to go back and retrieve him many times, but James and the Li had placated her. Of course, she thought that Harry had gained some knowledge about the magic, and they would be returning home soon, perhaps after some sightseeing.

Of course, she thought wrong.

Harry was determined to stay here and learn their way of magic. He gave her the puppy eyes no mother can resist. To be fair, she had not been around Harry long enough to resist it as James had been, who only seemed amused at the situation.

In the end, they agreed James would go back to Britain for his job, while Lily and Harry would take an extended vacation. Lily would hang around with the Li family while Harry would train and learn. Being his immediate family, Lily was aware of most of the things Harry did, but was under oath to not divulge the details of Chinese magic to outsiders. Over time, Lily learned that Chinese magic was actually much more intricate and simple at the same time.

From Zhi's short explanation, Chinese magic sought control of natural forces and elements to one's advantage rather than communicating through a physical medium like the Euro-American methods. This type of magic was quite powerful and tiring compared to using a wand, but it did not require the caster to memorize any spells. Rather, it needed an instinctual understanding and control of magic. As a beginner, it is difficult to master but becomes natural with diligent practice of focusing one's magic. However, once mastered, it allowed a wizard to manipulate nature in ways that seemed impossible to a British wizard.

Their magic initially caught Harry's eyes because of the lack of wand usage. Instead, they chose a magical stone and magically infused the stone inside one's hand, which helps their internal magic to spread through their bloodstream. As a result, their immune system was excellent, and small injuries healed very fast without needing any kind of medical attention.

But what impressed Lily the most was the discipline and routine that one had to follow to learn this magic. She noticed the change in Harry almost instantly. He was calm, collected and very focused. His grades in school shot up, as did his quidditch performances. He needed a very short time to grasp anything new and now excelled at almost anything that caught his interest. Most importantly, he seemed more content and peaceful. Since her reawakening, Harry had always been a troubled kid. He was restless and a bit confused, but now he seemed to do everything with a purpose, and kept a cool head most of the time.

Over time, she warmed up to the old Asian wizard, who she discovered had a very dry sense of humour. Lily had since invited Zhi to their home every time Harry was home for a long vacation, and oftentimes, like now, he accepted the invitation, if even for a short time. He was not one for idle chit chat. After the meal and some light conversation, Zhi finally took off with Harry.

"So where are we?" Harry asked, as he couldn't recognize the place, and there were no landmarks in sight. The older man shrugged.

"How would I know? It's your country." Harry decided not to press the matter any further. Master Zhi was not one for idle chat.

"So, how do we start?" Harry asked nervously.

"Show me what you can do." Zhi commanded, and Harry took a deep breath before demonstrating what was expected of him. Zhi stood perfectly still for an hour as Harry showed him what he could do and how far he had progressed.

When his demonstration was over, Harry was out of breath but tried not to show it. Zhi stared at him for a while before speaking sharply.

"You have been overexerting yourself."

Harry hung his head and nodded, and Zhi sighed in frustration.

"Do you understand why I give you a routine specific to the exact minute? It is certainly not so you can ignore it and do them as you wish. Do you understand that?"

Harry mumbled "I'm sorry," but Zhi went on.

"I give you a routine so that you are in the optimum condition. Working hard is important, but working smartly is _crucial._ Did I tell you about my old apprentice Carlo?"

Harry shook his head.

"Carlo was a very talented boy. Far more talented than you. And he trained just like I suggested him to. I wanted him to take my place when he was older. He had strength, he had willpower and his technique was perfect.

"But one day, a thug killed his wife and robbed his home. Carlo was not home at that time, but when he learnt of this, he swore revenge and trained. He trained for weeks straight. He trained more than what I asked him to, and he wouldn't listen to me. He would keep training all day and looked for the thug who killed his wife at night. After two weeks, he found the thug, hiding in a village quite far away from Carlo's home. He swore to me he was going to kill the thug. I told him he would fail. Do you know what happened?

"He was killed. The thug had guards protecting him and when Carlo started to fight with all of them, the weeks of training cost him. His grip on a man loosened for one moment and that moment cost him his life. He brought down most of the guards easily, but it wasn't the brilliance of an opponent that took him down. His body betrayed him just like he betrayed his body for two weeks. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?"

Harry nodded. He knew that Zhi would find out about it the moment he saw Harry and did it anyway. Now it seemed like a pretty bad life choice.

"Have you been running?" Zhi suddenly asked, and Harry looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Yes, I am helping a friend to gain some stamina." He admitted and Zhi nodded.

"Helping others to be better is always a good thing to do. It's nothing to feel sorry for."

Harry nodded, relieved. He was worried that Zhi would chew his head off.

"So what will you teach me today?" He asked the older man. To his surprise, Zhi sat down on the grasses and simply said, "Sit."

Harry sat down, thinking he would be learning a new meditation technique. He didn't say anything, though. Zhi closed his eyes for a few moments and Harry wondered if he should do the same.

"Why do you train, child?" Zhi asked him, eyes still closed.

"To get better." Harry replied, hoping it was the correct answer.

"No, that is why _I _train. Why do you train, really?"

Harry knew he had discussed it with Zhi before, but he answered anyway.

"So that I am prepared for the war. I want to be a useful fighter along with everyone else, not a burden caught in crossfire."

"No. That is not the whole reason either. Tell me the truth."

Harry audibly winced. He always knew the reason, deep down, why he wanted to fight so bad, but he had tried to convince himself otherwise. Apparently he couldn't even convince others.

"I seek vengeance. I intend to destroy those who have wronged my mother." He said the words carefully, knowing that it was almost considered a sin as far Zhi was concerned. Zhi nodded. Of course the old bastard knew it all along.

"You do know the price of vengeance, don't you, child?" He calmly asked, eyes still closed.

"Yes, master."

"Are you truly prepared to pay it?"

"I think so."

They stayed silent for a long time.

"Our kind of magic is special." He said in a soft voice. "Unlike wand wielders, our magic integrates into our blood and soul. You command the elements with your willpower. Your thoughts are what drives your magic. Our kind of magic decides your magical strength based on your will. Your soul marks your magic."

"When you taint your soul with darkness, you taint your magic as well. You influence your very being with that darkness. And that darkness will feed off your magic in an infinite loop. Feed it enough and it will gradually consume you."

Zhi finally opened his eyes, and Harry could see that those eyes were like water in the deep ocean. Tranquil, deep and unmoving. The old man reached out and put his hands on Harry's shoulder.

"Think about this price before you take your vengeance."

Zhi saw a fire blazing in his young apprentice's eye. He knew Harry understood what he was trying to say, and he was prepared for the consequences. He knew he couldn't convince the young man to forgive those who had wronged him. He hoped the young man would find his peace soon.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter was much different originally, and went through a number of reconstructions, and of course the fantastic edit by **slucas123**. I was slightly overwhelmed by the sheer support the readers showed in the last chapter. Hoping for more of that again. Please review._


	10. The Calm and the Storm

_A/N: A lot of readers complained that I had been rushing the last chapter. I should point out that I would rather not write lines of dialogues for the sake of writing when the events described are not particularly important to the plot of the story. That being said, however, I have tried to find a balance, with the help of my fantastic beta __**slucas123**__, between dialogue and description. Let us know how it turned out._

_A big shoutout to one of this story's first and most consistent follower __**InfinityMask**__ for the 200__th__ review. I honestly did not expect to reach 200 so quick after the 100__th__. Keep them coming._

* * *

**10\. The Calm and The Storm**

Christmas was a loud affair in the Potter household. The food was delicious, and Sirius was more excited about the presents than Melanie and Harry put together. Since they had no family to speak of, it was tradition for Sirius and Remus to spend Christmas Eve at the Potter residence at Godric's Hollow. Usually, they stayed over for Christmas morning, and this year was not any different.

Lily had a strict policy about breakfast before opening presents, which suited everyone except Sirius just fine. Everyone knew Sirius didn't really mind, he just protested to rile up Lily.

"Hurry up, would you?" Sirius exclaimed, stuffing his mouth with way too much egg than could be considered decent. Lily smirked at him.

"Would you like more eggs dear?" She sweetly asked James. He was about to shake his head, but Lily had already poured more on his plate before he could utter a response.

"He doesn't even want eggs!" Sirius whined, and Lily smiled sweetly at James.

"Of course he does. Don't you, darling?" She asked with a mischievous voice and James knew that she was just delaying the inevitable to make Sirius suffer.

"Yes. More eggs sounds wonderful." He said with a wink. Sirius looked outraged.

"BETRAYAL! Is this what the level you have stooped to, Prongs?" Sirius cried out, although his voice had more than a hint of mirth. Harry was shaking his head exasperatedly as Lily started to take _really_ small bites of her own food.

"What? I just want some eggs." James defended himself, not even bothering to hide his amusement.

"This bacon is just _wonderful!_ Isn't it, Remus?" Lily asked, and Remus dutifully nodded.

"Of course it is, Lily. Come to think of it, I think I will have some more." He tried to put another piece on his plate, but Sirius snatched it out of his plate and stuffed it in his mouth.

"I will not stand for such blatant time wasting on your part, Moony. Enough eating, let's go and open the presents." He ordered, but everyone ignored him, while eating their own food very slowly.

After a while, they all got tired of Sirius's whining and took pity on him. They finished their breakfast and the whole family gathered around the Christmas tree in the living room, where all the presents were piled. Being the youngest, Melanie went first to open hers. Her parents got her a training broom that went about two meters high. She squealed in joy and everyone else beamed at the tyke. This was so much better than the toy broom that barely reached above the adults' knees. Next she opened her gift from Remus, her godfather, and it was a muggle toy helicopter that could be controlled with a remote control, and Melanie absolutely loved it. Sirius got her an animated plush toy that changed from a black dog to a stag and finally a wolf when pulled on a little string, which Mel didn't understand the sentiment behind but enjoyed a lot anyway. Harry got her a toy snitch, secretly hoping she would become a Gryffindor seeker, and some age appropriate joke items from Zonko's and WWW.

Mel got distracted by the snitch and got busy trying to catch it, which she succeeded after a while. James had to grudgingly hand a galleon to a smirking Harry, having bet that Mel would want to become a seeker like her brother, and not a chaser. James had given her a toy quaffle last year and tried to play toss, but she didn't find it very interesting. As Mel had to be dragged back by Sirius into more interesting things, she opened more toys from the Tonks and a lot of candies from various friends of the family.

Sirius went next, (everyone agreed that he was the next when considering mental age, and at the prospect of opening presents, he didn't even protest that much) and ripped the wrapping papers of his gifts, making a mess of the living room. Being an adult (at least physically), his gifts were usually more boring, mainly consisting of clothes and accessories, so the family always tended to give him unusual gifts. The most interesting gift was from Harry, who gave him a box of dog treats for snacking in his animagus form. Everyone had a good laugh about it, and Sirius even turned to a dog to have a few before reverting back and claiming that as a dog it tasted heavenly. Following the theme, James and Lily got him a dog jacket that, apart from keeping him warm as a dog, protected him from minor spells. Remus got him a dog grooming kit, which Sirius looked warily at.

Remus didn't usually have many gifts, so the family tried to make up for it. The older Potters got him some expensive robes, of which he tried to protest over. However, this quickly died as he was the look on Lily's face, daring him to say anything. Harry got him a box of Honeyduke's finest, and Sirius got him a year's worth of Wolfsbane, which got the wolf glossy eyed.

Harry went next, and since he had a lot of gifts, being the only one in school, it was agreed that they would just open gifts from the family now while he could do the rest in private. James got him a new dress robe, and Lily got him a pair of muggle Jordan 11s, of which the pureblood wizards would certainly gawk at. Sirius got him a pair of dragonhide boots, and Remus got him a book on deep meditation.

Since James and Lily mostly gave their gifts as a couple to their friends, they received gifts as one too, which James complained about. Sirius got them a dinner tab to a fancy magical restaurant in London, knowing that between the war, jobs and Melanie, the couple had very little time to enjoy each other's company alone. Remus got them a pair of matching dress hats, which they promptly put on, looking a bit ridiculous with their home attire. Harry got them separate gifts, of course, as he usually received separate gifts from them, with the exception of his _Firestorm X _broom on his sixteenth birthday. James got a black leather jacket, and Lily got a pair of green earrings that mirrored the colour of both her and Harry's eyes. They also decided to open the rest of the gifts later, since they had quite a lot of joint and separate gifts from friends and colleagues.

Harry took the rest of his gifts upstairs as the adults talked, and Mel chased her new toy snitch around the den. Dean, Seamus and Ron all got him chocolates and candies. Neville got him a pair of professional seeker gloves, and Ginny got him a Falmouth Falcons scarf, the quidditch team Harry was a fan of. Harry had gotten Neville a rare magical plant Lily grew in the backyard garden and Ginny a Holyhead Harpies shirt that said 'G. Weasley 6' on the back.

Hermione got him a broom servicing kit, while he had sent a set of Magical Encyclopaedia in return. Blaise Zabini got him a wizarding porn magazine, and Harry got him the latest Playboy issue, which was a tradition between the two boys. Between the two, the wizarding magazine wasn't much to gawk at with barely raised robes.

Susan, Justin and Hannah got him joke items, while his friends in Ravenclaw, Su Li and Terry Boot got him books, of which they received similar gifts in turn. Tonks, who had almost an identical taste in music as him, got him a Warren Zevon and REM album, while he got her a new headphone.

The last gift was from Daphne, and he laughed before opening it. The mere thought of exchanging Christmas gifts with her three months ago would have been utterly ridiculous, yet here he was. Unwrapping the present, he found a framed magical photo of him catching a snitch and pumping his fists in celebration. He smiled at the memory. It was the final match of last year, and the catch secured his first Quidditch Cup as captain. How she got that photo, he had no idea. Smiling, he put the photo beside his bed, vowing to take it with him back to Hogwarts. He put his gifts away, deciding to check on Neville, who usually came over before noon to spend the day with the Potters.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

In the Greengrass residence, Christmas was a quiet affair. Neither Daphne nor Astoria were too much into opening presents with family, so there was not gathering in front of the Christmas tree in the morning. In fact, Daphne often liked to sleep in, losing interest in gifts after her third year, which is why Daphne was a bit irritated when Astoria woke her up early in the morning.

"What do you want, Tori?" She asked sleepily, looking at her younger sister who looked quite nervous.

"Wake up, Daph. I need to show you something."

"What is it?" She asked, wishing Astoria would go away.

"It's in my room. Get up! Trust me, you'll want to see this." Astoria pleaded until Daphne sighed and got up, yawning heavily. She groggily followed her younger sister, who was almost bouncing in nervous excitement.

Astoria's room was right next to her, so the trip didn't take long. Daphne noticed that there was wrapping paper everywhere.

"Did you wake me up to show me a present, Tori? Because if that's the case I'm going back to bed." She complained irritably.

"Yes, it is a present, but you have to see it!" Astoria practically shouted, dragging her older sister's arms to a certain box. Before Daphne could comment any further, Astoria pressed a card to her hands, saying that it came with the box.

_Dear Astoria,_

_I know that you would like this, and I hope your sister will help you if you have any difficulties with it. Or you can write to me if you have any particular requests. Enjoy._

_Harry Potter,_

_Your new nemesis._

_P.S. It's a bit delicate, so please handle with care._

"Well, what is it?" Daphne asked her sister, surprised that Harry got her something.

"Open it." Astoria said, almost shaking. Daphne did, and her jaws fell to the floor.

It was the exact CD player Harry had, but with headphones.

"This is the same as the one he has himself." Daphne whispered.

"You mean he gave his one to me?!" Astoria gasped in disbelief, and Daphne scoffed.

"No, you dolt! He bought another one for you. His one has earphones instead of headphones." She explained, before Astoria asked what's an earphone, and Daphne had to explain the difference between the two.

"So which one is better?" She asked, Daphne and she thought about it for a while.

"I like headphones better because of the sound quality, but earphones are more mobile and the sound from it appears to be from inside your head. It hurts my ears after a while though. I think Harry uses earphones because he uses it while doing other stuff and people are less likely to notice an earphone than a headphone. If you lower the volume, you can hear outside conversations too, but headphones block almost all outside sound."

The sisters stood there in silence for a while, not knowing what to say. Finally, Astoria opened her mouth.

"But I didn't get him anything. I didn't even imagine Harry Potter would give me a gift."

"Don't worry about it." Daphne said. "Harry is not going to be bothered by that, really. If you feel bad about it, you can always get him something later."

Astoria nodded, thinking that was probably the best thing to do. She would get him something when the next term started.

"But what am I gonna do with this thing?" She cried out suddenly, pointing at the device again.

"Listen to music, of course. What else can you do with it, Tori? Come on, I'll teach you how to use it. See this button here? You have to press it for-"

Daphne taught Astoria how to use her new CD player and left her with her preferred CDs, reminding her to make sure to leave no scratches on it. Astoria handled the player and the CDs like they were made of thin wafers, vowing to never, ever scratch the disc.

With that, Daphne left her room to see what Harry got her. After seeing what he got Astoria, she suddenly felt a bit self-conscious. Of course, Harry would like the photo, but he had gotten her sister a CD player!

Entering her room, she went towards the small pile of presents. She really didn't have many friends, and apart from family she only received gifts from Blaise, Tracey and Harry. Judging from the shape of the packages, both Blaise and Tracey got her books. Putting them away for later inspection, she reached for Harry's box, which was light. She opened the box and beamed.

It was a simple but elegant necklace, with a teardrop-shaped ocean-blue pearl. It was absolutely beautiful. There was a little note stashed in the box.

_Hey Blondie,_

_It's more than meets the eye. Please do me a favour and wear it whenever you go out. If you tap your wand on it, it will turn invisible in case you don't want others to see it._

_Harry_

She didn't know why he asked that, but decided to keep his request whenever she went out. Considering its elegance and beauty, she was more than willing to show it off in public. Perhaps she might leave out the fact it was from Harry Potter, however.

Suddenly, she wished she had gotten him something that was worth more than a simple photograph.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Christmas was over in a blink of an eye, and New Year's Eve flashed by as well. Harry had mostly hung out with Neville and visited Diagon Alley to see his old pals Fred and George Weasley in their new joke shop.

Harry was really surprised by how well their business was going considering the war, but George explained to him in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Dumbledore that everyone needed a few laughs in times of trouble. Of course, he had visited their shop when they opened it first, with James and Sirius being their initial investors.

After learning his father and godfather were Marauders, the twins already worshipped James, Sirius and Remus, and when the two men, with Harry's encouragement, showed interest in their business, they practically passed out with shock. However, both Marauders thought that the activities of Voldemort would have dampened the business considerably.

They invited him to the Burrow for dinner the next day, and seeing that he had nothing better to do, Harry accepted the invitation.

Harry always liked the Burrow. It wasn't a luxurious home, but it had that _je ne sais quoi _that really made it feel like _home._ Harry understood his mother's decision to live in a cottage instead of a manor particularly when he visited the Weasley residence.

Charlie Weasley was home for the holidays, and this was the first time Harry met him. On a previous visit, he had met with Bill, who seemed pretty rad considering his background with curse breaking. Charlie seemed more laid back and relaxed, but Harry assumed that being a Dragon handler, he had pretty sharp reflexes.

"I've heard a lot about you from Dora." Harry offered, and Charlie laughed.

"Don't believe a single word. I didn't know you knew Tonky.

"Yeah, our families are close. Dora's mum is my godfather's cousin, actually." Harry explained, making a mental note to call Dora '_Tonky.'_

"How is she? Haven't seen her in a while." Charlie asked with a grin.

"Her family was attacked a few weeks back, and her dad got injured. She was down for a while. She seems back to normal now, all things considered."

Charlie then recalled some of the mischiefs he and Tonks caused back in their time at Hogwarts. The twins, who liked Tonks pretty well, joined in the conversation.

"-and then Snape said 'Ms Tonks, can you explain why a sixth year Hufflepuff is attending a second year class for Gryffindors?'" Fred said, trying not to laugh too hard.

"And then Tonks just said 'Oops?' and bolted" George finished as they all broke down in laughter.

"I can't believe she would try to impersonate George." Ginny exclaimed. She was not very familiar with Tonks, seeing that she already graduated by the time Ginny got into Hogwarts.

"It was a bet, actually." Fred explained.

"She claimed that she could replace George for a whole day and no one would notice." George quipped.

"How did Snape find out then?" Harry asked.

"As soon as she realized we had a double potions that day, she surrendered." Fred cackled.

"Don't blame 'er." Ron nodded.

After some snacks provided by Mrs. Weasley, the conversation soon turned to the one topic they all had in common: quidditch. All of them played for Gryffindor, past or present.

"So Oliver managed to find a decent successor?" Charlie asked with a smile. "That kid looked touched in the head to me. I wasn't sure how well he would do considering that the whole team was so young. Mind you, he was pretty young himself."

"Yeah, Wood was mental, alright." Harry grumbled good naturedly. "He managed to string together a decent team, though."

"Harry's being modest. He was the one who really turned things around for us." Fred said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I always say that seekers are the most important player of a team." Harry said in a pompous tone.

"Finally! I've been saying that for years!" Charlie cried.

"Yes because who wouldn't love to see two guys roaming around for hours till one of them catches a shiny ball." Ginny drawled.

"Doesn't matter what people want to see. The fact that you would have to score fifteen times to equalize one catch from the seeker tells a lot about who is important and who is not." Charlie dismissed, having gone through this discussion more times he had cared to count.

"Oh I can score more than that before you catch the snitch." Ginny shot back challengingly, and there was a chorus of 'ooh's all around.

"That sounds like a challenge to me, brother of mine." Fred quipped.

"Indeed it does, Greddie boy." George supplied.

"Oh, is that right?" Charlie asked with his eyebrows raised and a grin on his face.

"You bet your dragon-flame-burnt arse it is." Ginny was not backing down, a feral grin on her face.

"I think we can guess where this is heading." George started.

"You bet Charlie's dragon-flame-burnt arse we can!" Fred finished.

"Harry's on my team." Ginny called first.

"The twins work best together. I'll have both of them." Charlie shot back.

"Well Ron, Harry and I do play in the same team, so thanks." Ginny replied, more confidently than she felt.

"I'll get the brooms." Ron volunteered eagerly. "Harry, you'll have to play in Bill's old broom, though."

"That's hard. Downgrading from a Firestorm X to a Nimbus 1800." Fred commented.

"Harry can just pop back to his house and get his broom, though." Ginny suggested.

"I'm alright. It's the rider who catches the snitch, not the broom." Harry announced, hoping that none of the Weasleys watched muggle racing movies where he borrowed the corny line from.

"Yes. That is why you are going down." Charlie smirked at him and Harry laughed.

"Honestly, I'd sit this one out if I were you. You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself." He shot back at the dragon tamer, thoroughly enjoying the borderline friendly trash talk.

"I'd listen to him, Charlie. Last chance to back out." Ginny called.

"And miss out on seeing you cry like a baby when you lose? No chance." Charlie was not giving any inch in the banter.

"Oh she's not gonna be the one crying at the end, trust me." Ron joined in the fun, back with the brooms. Charlie glared at the twins.

"A little support here guys?"

"Nah, we are good." Fred happily said.

"Looks like you have it all covered there." George showed a thumbs up, mounting his broom.

"Brilliant." Charlie grimaced.

The rules were simple. No bludgers, players can play in whatever position they wanted, meaning there were no designated keepers or chasers. However, only the seekers could catch the snitch. Game ended in a snitch catch, or two hours, whichever came first.

Charlie figured that the teams were evenly matched. Even though Harry had the advantage of being in regular practice, it didn't mean that Charlie didn't fly whenever he got any free time. He knew Ginny was an excellent chaser, but he hoped that Ron would tend to stick to his natural position, the keeper, more often while leaving Ginny alone with Harry. He knew George and Fred would be playing out of position, but their teamwork was impeccable. If nothing else, it would be fun.

He was right. It was fun. It had been a while since Charlie had a decent opponent on a broom, but when Harry ran circles around him and caught the snitch with a slower broom than his, he had to acknowledge that he was not the best seeker on the pitch. Harry deliberately let the snitch go a number of times while blocking Charlie from getting it as well, so that Ginny could win her bet. By the time Harry was finally closing in on the snitch, Ginny had put 20 goals past her older brothers. Ron and Harry had each scored a few to make the score 270-180 for them, before Harry ended the game. Fred and George confessed that they expected to lose from the beginning, which is why they did not participate in the trash talk themselves, letting Charlie take all the playful abuse after the final score. Charlie grumbled at them, but they could tell he was not really mad about it.

After a wonderful dinner where Harry explained to Mr. Weasley the difference between an airplane and a helicopter and Mrs. Weasley attempted to feed an entire week's worth of food to him, he returned home and found a letter for him.

_Dear Harry,_

_I am soooooo sorry that I did not get you anything. I swear I will have a gift for you the next time I see you._

_I absolutely LOVE the CD player. It might be the best gift of my entire life, and I have received a __lot__ of gifts in my life. Thank you so much. I don't know what can I possibly give you that would ever be equal to this, but I am going to try. Daph is teaching me how to not break it, and I have been listening to it almost constantly. Mother has threatened to lock it away because I wanted to have dinner in my room with it! Thank you again. And sorry for not getting you anything._

_Daph says hi._

_Astoria_

Harry grinned at the young Greengrass sister's enthusiasm that was evident in her words. He knew that convincing mum to enchant yet another player was worth it.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Harry planned to spend his last day before going back doing absolutely nothing. He spent most of his day with Mel, knowing that his younger sister would be upset tomorrow when he left. He wished he could witness Mel at Hogwarts, showing her the secret passageways and the numerous secrets Hogwarts held, but it would be special for her to discover those secrets on her own.

The day went pleasantly, and the Potters were relaxed on the living room, contemplating if it was a good idea to go out and get pizza when Remus' patronus appeared in front of James, speaking quickly.

'_Multiple attacks all over the country. They are using Fiendfyre. Check up on anyone who might be unprotected. Sirius is covering the Order members' houses.'_

Immediately, James jumped to action and sent off five patroni, while Lily did the same.

"I'm coming." Harry announced, and after giving him a short glance, James nodded. Lily bit her lips and spoke out.

"I'll come too. Let me drop Mel off at the Tonks' home, and I'll be back in a minute." She took Mel and disapparated away, and true to her words, was back before a minute. James and Harry put on their armour and boots, while James grabbed armour for Lily. All three summoned their mirrors and within two minutes of Remus's patronus, the three Potters were on the move.

James received a coordinate from Remus through the mirror, and they all apparated there.

Death Eaters had cornered a family of three and were setting the house on fire as Lily shot a cutting curse that sliced off the wand wielding hand of the Death Eater before he could even react to the newcomers.

James was already working on anti-apparition and anti portkey wards, as Harry blew one Death Eater's arm completely off and banished another one through a wall while summoning his wand. Lily covered for James as she sent stunners after a Death Eater trying to attack her husband, who was almost finishing up with the wards. Harry took down two more Death Eaters before James was finally free and along with Lily, stunned, bound, and broke the wands of the remaining three Death Eaters.

Lily cast a _homenium revelio_ to see if there were more Death Eaters hiding and found none. James took down his wards and bound the Death Eaters together and dropped a portkey on them, as Lily communicated with another Order member for the next location and Harry ensured that the family was okay. The man was a little injured, but his wife was already tending to it as the daughter, who looked a little older than Harry and thanked him profusely. Harry nodded and asked them to upgrade their wards as soon as possible before Lily had the next location and they apparated away again.

There was already anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards, so they had to apparate a little further away from the house that was already burning. On the bright side, it looked like a normal fire.

They sprinted inside the house and saw a young girl, barely over seven, dead in the doorway, and Harry felt a fire rising in his chest. He burst through to the living room and smashed a hole large enough to fit a grapefruit into the stomach of a Death Eater while blowing off his wand-wielding arm as well. Not seeing anyone around, he ran towards the stairs and saw two more corpses, a man and a woman, both covered in blood. He checked their pulses and seeing no hope of saving them, ran upstairs.

Someone was screaming and before he could do anything, the screaming stopped and James came out of the door, a scared, crying girl and two unconscious Death Eaters behind him.

"There was another set of stairs at the back." He yelled to Harry, as Lily came up behind Harry. Lily tried to calm down the girl, as James bound and delivered the Death Eaters to the Order safe house and Harry talked with Remus to get the next location.

As soon as they arrived at the next stop, they knew it was way too late. A raging Fiendfyre already engulfed the house and the three Potters all combined together to put it out. After five agonizing minutes that left Lily exhausted, James panting and Harry sweating like he ran a hundred miles, the fire was contained, and Harry went inside as James checked on Lily. The smell of charred flesh was overwhelming, as Harry noticed bodies in what presumably used to be a large hall room. He spotted molten gold on some of the corpses and gathered that Death Eaters had attacked on a party.

The corpses were burnt beyond any recognition, and checking for anyone still alive, Harry found none, which meant the Death Eaters had fled after casting the Fiendfyre. He went outside and reported the situation to his parents and after consulting the other Order members, they were told that the rest of the attacked families were already dead. However, the Order and a few independent Aurors had saved around fifteen families out of the forty attacked, so it was a small consolation.

The Potters were silent as they returned to their home, and this time it was James who went to the Tonks' home to retrieve a crying Melanie. Harry took over the duty of calming her down and putting her to bed, before joining his stone faced parents. Lily's eyes were leaking tears silently as she held her husband's hand, who was staring out of the window with a blank expression. Harry sat down beside them and put his hands over his face. The adrenaline was now leaving his body as he thought back on the burnt corpses and the face of the dead young girl, lying in a doorway.

He wondered how many people lost their lives today, and how many people lost loved ones. He hoped that no one he knew was among them.

His jaws tightened, thinking about the Death Eaters, who had bided their time through the holidays and lulled everyone into a false sense of security before coordinating all the attacks to spread the Aurors and Order resources thin with their hit and run tactics.

On the back of his mind, Harry felt a little proud about how his parents and he had saved a family, which was better than nothing at all. His mind wandered to the scared girl in the second location, and he knew that whatever horrors she had faced and the pain of losing all her family, was far worse than death.

Once again, he felt a burning rage towards Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and knowing that he had to go back to school the next day, pretending like any of these never happened until the next break, was almost as infuriating.

Soon, James was called to an emergency Order meeting and after kissing Lily's cheeks and clapping Harry's shoulder, he left without a word. Watching her husband leave, Lily got up and sat next to Harry, who held her hand in silent support. Tears were streaming down her face and after a few moments, she sobbed. Harry hugged her and she hugged him back tightly, crying freely at this point, and his eyes were burning as well. Mother and son sat like that for a while, before Lily regained her composure, wiped away her tears, and stood up.

"Get some rest Harry." She said in a watery tone, her voice threatening to break again. "We have to get up early to catch the train."

Harry wanted to say that he wanted to stay back and fight, not go back to school where everyone thought the war would not touch them. But he knew that was not an option. He knew he was very lucky to have parents who didn't object to him fighting alongside them, knowing that a stray curse or a moment of distraction could rip their family apart. They trusted him to do the right thing, and he had never broken that trust. He knew that if he really insisted on abandoning his education and staying back to fight, they might eventually give in. But it would break their heart and although Harry was by no means the perfect son, he wouldn't willingly do that to his parents.

So he nodded and clasped her hand tightly, to which she whispered "I'll be okay." And even managed a small smile. Harry knew full well that she would not be okay, but he also knew that he was a product of her, and if he had a reason to stay out of hospital wing when he was exhausted or hurt, then she had the same reason to put on a brave face in front of her son.

As smart, cunning and hard-working both of them were, there was a reason the hat placed them in Gryffindor.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

James returned from the Order meeting very late, and Lily had insisted that she could drop Harry at King's Cross while he got some sleep. Both men knew that she hadn't slept a wink waiting for James to return, but after Lily insisted, James couldn't find it in himself to oppose her. Harry mentioned that he could go on his own, but Lily deliberately pretended not to have heard anything, and Harry knew this was another battle not worth fighting.

Foregoing all pleasantries, they directly apparated on the platform, and being the Head Boy, Harry quickly kissed his mother's cheek and bid her goodbye, who hugged him tightly before releasing him and walking away to stand a bit further from the train. Harry understood what she was doing. She wanted to see the train leave, but she didn't want Harry to feel obligated to spend more time with her. Harry felt bad, but he had his duties and after giving her a final wave, which she returned, he climbed aboard the train and checked the Head's compartment. It was empty. Harry didn't know what time Daphne usually arrived, but since he was 30 minutes early, he assumed she would turn up later.

As more people climbed aboard, he noticed that quite a few students were missing from the list of people that were supposed to go back by the Hogwarts Express. A grim thought crossed his mind about how some of those families who did not make it yesterday might have had some Hogwarts students amongst them and he quickly pushed the thought away.

He was getting worried when the train was due to leave in five minutes and neither Daphne nor Astoria could be seen anywhere. He frantically searched the platform for the familiar blonde hair, but all he noticed was his mother looking around. He quickly called her from his mirror.

"Mum, have you seen Daphne or anyone from her family?" He asked hurriedly. She shook her head.

"No. I was looking for them as well." Harry cursed.

"Okay mum, tell me if you see anything. I'll check the compartments to see if she arrived early and fell asleep or something."

Lily nodded worriedly as the connection died. She didn't hear about the Greengrass residence being attacked last night, but she would have to check again.

The train whistled, and the wheels were rolling as Harry frantically searched every compartment. On the back of his mind, he knew very well that never in a million years would Daphne fall asleep in a compartment before departure, but he was hoping against all hope that he was wrong and she would be really asleep in one of the compartments.

He saw Neville and Ginny settling on a compartment and they asked him what was wrong, as he quickly explained that he hadn't seen Daphne on the train and now he was searching for her. They both said that they hadn't seen her, and they went to look around with Harry.

After searching the whole train twice, Harry was forced to accept the fact that the Greengrasses were not on the train. He went back to the Head's compartment, where the prefects were waiting for him. He noticed two missing prefects, including Astoria, and when he asked others about them, they answered that they hadn't been on the train either. Draco Malfoy was wearing a slight smirk at that and Harry wanted nothing more than punch that poncey fucker right in the face, but he ignored him for the time being.

Harry assigned them rounds, finding it quite difficult without Daphne. He went to patrol himself as well, and a few students asked where the Daphne was. He calmly answered that she would join them later. After a couple of rounds, he went back to the empty Head's compartment and called his mother and asked her if she knew anything yet. She told him that she was asking around and would let him know as soon as she found out something. He went on to spend some time with Neville and Ginny, and then some time with Hermione and Su Li and finally went to the compartment where Tracey and Blaise were. He asked them if they knew any whereabouts of the Greengrasses and they said that they did not. All in all, it was a very tense and agitated Harry who came out of the Hogsmeade station, and appointing Hermione the temporary duties of the Head Girl to manage the students moving from the Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts. Hermione was an excellent fill in, taking the responsibility with utmost seriousness, but he still missed the understanding he had developed with Daphne.

As they all reached Hogwarts without any incident, Harry immediately went up to Dumbledore and reported the missing students, including Daphne. Dumbledore looked at the list and informed Harry that five students did not make it last night, and two were missing family members. But he admitted that he did not know the Greengrass residence being one of the attacked houses, so he would have to check with his contacts. Of course, this information was totally off the record until any formal announcement, so when he went back to the Gryffindor table and people around him asked about the missing students, he simply said that he was not at liberty to say. Some of them, especially the purebloods and the more connected Half Bloods already knew yesterday's events and assumed that the missing students were probably missing forever. Two Gryffindors, fourth year Romilda Vane and a second year named Conor Lawler were amongst the missing ones and their friends were looking very scared.

After a short discussion with the other professors, Dumbledore stood to address the Great Hall. Everyone immediately went deathly quiet.

"Welcome back to another term." Dumbledore started grimly. "As you have undoubtedly noticed by now, there are a few amongst us missing. These students shared a horrible fate last night. Followers of Lord Voldemort, the group calling themselves Death Eaters, attacked a number of homes last night. They attacked like cowards, striking from the dark and fleeing before anyone could fight back. A few families survived, physically unscathed, with help from a number of anonymous helping wands, but it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that a majority of the families attacked have perished. And some of those missing today are amongst the ones who will not see another day. I urge you all to stand up and raise your goblets for the missing members of our family."

Harry noticed that Draco Malfoy stood up but did not raise his goblet and neither did Pansy Parkinson. A few younger Slytherins refrained from raising their goblets as well, and Harry noted them down carefully, remembering what Sirius and his dad had told him earlier.

Everything resumed normally after that, save for the deathly quiet Great Hall. Soon, the welcoming feast was over and students slowly turned towards their common rooms. Harry was about to go to the owlery to find Hedwig and write a letter to Daphne, but McGonagall intercepted him.

"Mr. Potter, a word if you please."

"Professor." He acknowledged as he followed her to the Head's Table, where Dumbledore, Snape and Flitwick were talking quietly.

"Mr. Potter, I know Heads duties are taxing and I understand this is a troubling time for you as well." Dumbledore started, looking a bit uncomfortable. "I have noticed that despite your previous animosity with our Head Girl, you two seem to have put your differences aside and worked hard to keep things in order, and I have to admit, I have not seen a better pair of Head students since your parents graduated." Harry noticed Snape looking sour but wondered what Dumbledore was getting at.

"Thank you, professor. We try to do our best." He replied calmly and Dumbledore nodded and looked even more uncomfortable.

"I know you do. And that is why I urge you to heed my next words as objectively as possible, and remember that I only speak for the best of the school."

Harry did not speak, having a sinking feeling in his stomach about what this conversation really was about.

"In the absence of the Head Girl, we have to consider the- possibility that- she might not return."

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he took another one and then another one. When he opened his eyes, his face was completely blank, just like the mask Daphne used to wear in front of the world.

He slowly nodded to show that his understanding. Dumbledore was studying his face carefully.

"You must understand that nothing would make us happier if she proved our caution to be unnecessary and returned tomorrow, but it is a necessary precaution." He almost pleaded to Harry, as if begging him to understand that he was not a monster for thinking such. Harry nodded again.

"I understand, professor. We have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst." Harry said expressionlessly, and Dumbledore nodded grimly. Professor Sprout had a tear in the corner of her eye.

"Indeed we do, Harry. This is why we have to select a temporary Head Girl until the moment Miss Greengrass can join us again. Normally, this is a decision taken by the Head of the Houses, but the outstanding performances that you two have shown has led me to believe that your choice should be taken into consideration as well. Keep in mind that you would not have the final say on this, but we are all inclined to take your suggestion into consideration. After all, it is you who have to work with her, even if it is a hopefully temporary situation." He explained and Harry's mind took a while to catch up with what was said.

"So you want my recommendation for the temporary Head Girl?" He asked to clarify, and Snape looked like he definitely did _not _want Harry's recommendation on anything.

"I would suggest Hermione Granger. She is the most responsible prefect I have at my disposal, and her performances at academic and activities as a prefect are excellent. In fact, I assigned her to help me on the Hogsmeade station on duties I typically share with the Head Girl."

"Are you sure that you are not simply recommending your Gryffindor pals, Potter?" Snape sneered and Harry did not even show that he even heard the man, looking deliberately at the other professors.

"We were discussing Miss Granger as well." McGonagall said with a stern glare at Snape, who ignored it in favour of glaring at Harry for ignoring him. Harry simply nodded at the Deputy Headmistress, who, after a moment of quiet conversation with Dumbledore, sent a patronus towards the Gryffindor tower.

Minutes later, Hermione arrived breathlessly, apparently having sprinted all the way from the Gryffindor common room.

She was quickly explained her role by Dumbledore and McGonagall, and although Harry knew she had probably wanted to be a Head Girl for all her life, it was a mark of her personality that she did not show the slightest trace of joy at her promotion.

"Do I have to move to the Head's dorm, professor?" She asked at last, and Harry didn't know how to react if Dumbledore said yes, before Hermione continued "Because I would really rather not do that. It is Daphne's quarter, and as far as we all know, she might be here by morning. I do not want to impose on her place. Also, the moving around would be a bother."

She looked at Harry, and he thanked her with his eyes, to which she gave him the slightest of smiles.

"If you do not wish to move, there is no need to move, Miss Granger. The dormitories are merely a privilege. There is no harm done if you choose not to use it." Dumbledore said kindly, very proud of the two students in front of him.

The Head Boy and the temporary Head Girl was dismissed after that, Dumbledore promising to fill them in on any update he had about the Greengrasses.

Harry and Hermione walked towards the Gryffindor common room in silence. As they reached the portrait hole, Harry spoke.

"Thank you for not trying to move in Daphne's room yet. I know it's your right, but I am not prepared to think that she would not return until there is proof. It's quite selfish of me, but-"

Hermione cut him off before he could say anything more.

"Harry, I meant every word I said in the Head's Table. I know Daphne will return. I am thinking of this as extra prefect's duty. Nothing more."

Harry wanted to say something but he did not trust his voice. He nodded and gave Hermione a small smile, to which she squeezed his hand.

"We have a pretty nice Library at the dorm." He said as he turned away, waiting for it-

"Can I visit sometime, Harry?" She blurted out, unable to hold it in and Harry laughed.

"You can visit anytime you want, Mione, even if you are not a prefect anymore."

Harry thought he heard a faint squeal, but as he turned towards her, she was gone, the portrait hole closing behind her.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

As Harry entered the Heads' dorm, he suddenly felt very empty inside. His mind went back to the first weeks of the school year, when he wished the dorm was empty. Now that it was actually empty, he wanted nothing more than to take those thoughts back. The common room seemed especially big and Harry lounged on the couch, thinking about all the times he and Daphne spent in this place. Taking care of her while she was sick, talking about nothing in particular, chatting with Astoria, or Neville and Ginny, or Tracey and Blaise, or just listening to their CD players and exposing her to so many new Muggle musicians. It was vexing.

He must have fallen asleep because he woke up to the sound of his mirror calling his name, and he realized that he was still on the couch in the common room. Quickly pulling out the mirror from his pockets, he answered the call that was from his mother.

"Mum? What happened? Did you find anything?" He asked, his sleep going away quickly.

"Yes, I have. Daphne and Astoria are both alright." She said in a tight voice. Relief washed over Harry.

"Where are they, then?"

Lily looked down for a moment and when she looked back up, her eyes watery.

"Remember that house with Fiendfyre with a lot of people inside?" Harry nodded, a sinking feeling in his stomach developing.

"Daphne's parents were in that party." Lily finished with a broken voice, and Harry hung his head. He didn't know how to feel. Emptiness. Relief that Daphne and Astoria were okay? Fury about the fate of their parents? Mourning for their loss? It was an inexorable sadness.

"Where are they now?" He asked in a constricted voice.

"They have no one to take care of the houses, and they are both there for the moment. James asked Sirius to hire someone trustworthy to take care of the property while they are at school. They have a few relatives, but they are more interested in taking control of the property than taking care of them, and the family friends are not willing to get in the middle of what they are calling a 'political murder'. Being an adult, Daphne has to take care of all the legal procedures before she can go back to school. I wouldn't expect her before next week."

"Mum-" Harry started with a pleading look and Lily interrupted him.

"I will be with Daphne in everything she wants me to be. You don't need to tell me about it, sweetheart."

Harry nodded, a little surprised that his mother knew what he was going to ask her before he even organized the thought.

"What about Astoria?" he asked.

"I will talk with Daphne and if she is okay with it, I'll send her to Hogwarts tomorrow morning."

Harry nodded. That was a good decision. Astoria didn't need to share the stress Daphne was about to go through.

"Harry-"

"I will look after her, mum." Harry assured her.

"I know you will. Take care, now. And don't sleep on the couch."

Harry smiled at his mother.

"Ask Daphne to call me when she is feeling up to it."

"I will. You look after Astoria when she arrives tomorrow."

"I will."

* * *

_A/N: Use the review box to let me know exactly how much you hate me. _


	11. Aftermath

**11\. Aftermath**

Harry went to McGonagall's room just before breakfast. His mother has informed him that she would be sending Astoria now, and McGonagall hid her surprise at seeing Harry pretty well. Moments later, Astoria stepped out of the green fire.

She looked like she hadn't slept much and her eyes were red and puffy. As soon as she saw Harry, she ran into him and he enveloped her in a hug.

"Miss Greengrass, you are excused from classes today. Your prefect duties are also on a temporary hold. You can resume whenever you feel comfortable." McGonagall said kindly. "If you need anything or just need to talk to someone, my door is always open for you. Mr. Potter, kindly take her to Madame Pomfrey to check if she needs any medical attention, can you?"

"Of course, professor." Harry nodded, rubbing circles on the back of Astoria's back, who had let go of Harry but was standing close to him while McGonagall talked to them. The professor nodded kindly once more as they left her office, Harry carrying her trunk.

"Did you have any breakfast?" Harry asked her and she nodded. Mrs. Potter had given her some toast and bacon before sending her. She wanted Astoria to have more, but she didn't have the appetite.

"Do you want to go to your common room, or do you want to come and rest in the Head's dorm for a while?" he asked softly.

"Your dorm." She replied in a broken voice and Harry nodded as he held her hand and walked towards their destination. As they reached the entrance, Harry saw Hermione was talking with the portrait of the Blue Mistress, the woman who guarded the entry to the Head's dorm.

"Hello Hermione, were you looking for me?" Harry asked, as he gave the password and entered the dorm, gently leading Astoria in. Hermione gave him a questioning look.

"Oh this is Astoria Greengrass. I think you know her from the prefect meetings. Astoria, this is Hermione, my friend." Astoria nodded absently Harry saw Hermione was about to ask some questions and silently mouthed _'I'll explain later' _and she nodded in understanding. He led Astoria to Daphne's room, and asked her to wait here for a moment and that he would be right back. She nodded and sat on Daphne's bed. He gently squeezed her shoulder before going back to the common room where Hermione was waiting.

"Where's her sister? What happened?" Hermione asked in a hurried whisper as soon as he came down.

"Her parents died in the attack. Daphne is dealing with some legal issues. She should be back by next week, hopefully." He explained. Hermione looked like she wanted to ask more, but was restraining herself and Harry was glad because he didn't know how much Daphne planned on telling everyone, and although they were familiar with each other, Daphne and Hermione weren't exactly friends.

Hermione had some Head business to discuss with Harry, and Harry patiently answered all her queries before she took her leave and Harry went back to Daphne's room.

Astoria was dozing off, but jumped as she heard him. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulders.

"You look tired. Get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." He said gently. Astoria looked like she would protest, but she knew she was tired as hell. So she swallowed back her protest and nodded. Harry looked around and found the blanket he gave Daphne last term. Suddenly it felt like a million years ago. Astoria threw off her shoes and climbed on the bed and curled up to a ball. Harry draped the blanket over her and she silently mouthed '_thank you'_ before closing her eyes.

Harry set up a ward to alert him right before she woke up and dimmed the light before leaving the room. He left the door slightly ajar, not knowing how she would react to a locked door. He asked the entrance guardian, the Blue Mistress, to not let anyone except Dumbledore and McGonagall enter if they were not accompanied by Harry himself, even if they had the password. Also, she was not to bother the girl in the Head Girl's room at all.

He thought about skipping a few classes to stay with Astoria, but later decided to skip one if she woke up before his class time was over.

Thankfully, it was 5 in the evening when Astoria finally woke up. Harry was in his room, completing his homework when his wards alerted him. Quickly pouring two cups of coffee (he got himself a thermos in the holidays) he knocked on the door and a faint '_come in'_ could be heard.

"Coffee?" he offered the cup to the girl and she nodded. She looked much better after the sleep as she propped herself up against the headboard.

"I should get back to my dorm. I have bothered you enough for one day." Astoria said, making no attempt to move.

"Hey, if you were a bother I would have thrown you away by now. Stay as long as you like, and just tell me whenever you want to go back to your dorm. And I want you to know that you can come here anytime you want. Although Hermione is acting as the temporary Head Girl, she doesn't live here, so that room is yours until your sister returns. If you feel like getting away from your friends and housemates, the portrait outside is instructed to let you in anytime, even if I'm not here. You understand?"

Astoria nodded. "Thanks, Harry. But I really need to go back to my dorm, because I want the questions and whispers to be over with as soon as possible." Harry frowned.

"You want me to scare them off?" he asked seriously and she looked at him sceptically. Harry might be the Head Boy, but he always seemed like such a nice person. She couldn't imagine him being intimidating.

"I don't think you can do that." She commented and he laughed.

"We'll see. Do you want to go now, then?"

Astoria nodded and got off the bed. Although she liked her own dorm, she was absolutely sure that she would be taking up on his offer of spending her time in Daphne's room. It was very nice, Harry was nicer, and most importantly, it didn't have the other Slytherins pestering her.

She freshened up at the washroom attached to the room and when she came back, Harry was already carrying her trunk.

"So you were serious about trying to scare off other Slytherins?" she asked dubiously and he smirked in return. They walked together for a while and some passing students stared at them, wondering where Astoria came from and what on earth was she doing with Harry Potter, because as far as they knew, these two had never been spotted together except for a prefects meeting.

Reaching the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was, he simply entered as the door didn't demand a password from the Head Boy. The slightly cold common room became silent as they saw Harry Potter enter their common room and Astoria Greengrass followed him.

"As you can see, one of the missing students have returned and for those who already know her, you might also want to know that Daphne Greengrass, the Head Girl and a member of your house would return shortly as well. Now, it goes without saying that this girl over here has been through a traumatic time, and as Head Boy, I ask you all to give her the time and space to collect herself before bombarding her with questions. If I hear anyone has been badgering her about what happened, I will hand you detentions." Harry looked around to see some older students, including Malfoy and Parkinson smirking, as if a mere detention was a matter of laugh.

"However," he continued, now looking straight at Malfoy and his tone suddenly getting ice cold and the temperature of the room dropped a few degrees, a tangible feeling of foreboding hanging in the air. "That was my stance as Head Boy. As Harry Potter, I promise you this. If anyone harasses her even in the slightest capacity, I will personally make sure they are taken care of and believe me, at that time, detention will feel like the best thing that could have ever happened to you."

The room was deathly silent and Astoria could feel the hairs on her body rising up in goosebumps as she could almost smell the magic coming out of Harry, his eyes cold as a stone. Even Malfoy looked nervous.

Making sure that the message was received loud and clear, Harry handed the trunk back to Astoria, now with a featherweight charm on it and sent her to her dorm and left the Slytherin common room. He hoped his warning was enough, but if it wasn't, he would have to make good on his promise.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioi**

Astoria came back to the Head's dorm the next day as soon as her classes were over. Harry was not here, but she didn't mind. She wanted to be alone for a while anyway. Although Harry's speech has worked very well so far, and even her dorm mates did not ask her about what happened.

She wondered exactly when did she prefer to be near Harry Potter than with her friends and house mates. In her first year, she absolutely hated Harry Potter because he hurt her sister often. As she grew older and realized that it was a two-way war and Daphne was not exactly a saint either, her hatred toned down to disliking, and as she caught him coming to check on Daphne on the hospital wing after a particular prank, her dislike quietly went away to be replaced by mainly indifference and a slight curiosity. As she became a fifth year and Daphne became Head Girl and had to share a dorm with Harry Potter, Astoria found it quite hilarious. In prefect meetings, Harry was always an image of professionalism, as was Daphne. As the term progressed and she got to know Harry as a person, he seemed like a cool guy, and before Christmas, he was her sister's friend. When she received the Christmas present from Harry, her opinion of him skyrocketed and she began to consider him as a kind-of older-friend.

She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when Harry Potter turned from a friendly guy to a brother-like figure, but it had happened. She felt secure when she saw Harry waiting for her when she stepped off the floo, just as safe she would feel when Daphne was around.

She admitted to herself that Lily Potter rescuing them might have something to do with that as well. The Potters took care of them and the nice man who everyone called 'Padfoot' was charmingly kind and helpful as well. She didn't know who he was exactly, but never did he let them feel that they were strangers.

Thinking about the Potters and the Padfoot bloke, she wondered how Daphne was holding up. She knew her sister was one of the toughest people she knew but when her extended family, who she never saw in her life, came over to get a piece of their fortune, Astoria knew that Daphne was thrown in the middle of a pack of wolves. Thankfully, Lily Potter arrived before things got out of hand, and she took control of the situation immediately, berating the extended 'family' for wanting to talk about financial matters so soon after the girls found out that their parents were no more. The vultures left, grumbling about family matters, but promised to return the next day. She didn't know exactly how the next day turned out, but she knew that 'Padfoot' had managed to hire the best lawyer in business to handle matters and the Potters were hopeful that the matter would be dealt with. Unfortunately, Daphne had to be present for a lot of paperwork since she was now the acting head of family.

She thought about her parents, and she realized that she didn't miss her father at all. She was appalled at herself at the thought, because no matter how indifferent he was to his daughters, he still worked hard to provide for them, and he never treated them or her mother wrong as far as she knew. Still, she could not find any emotion for her deceased father, except for a little sympathy that he lost his life in such a horrible way.

As if compensating for her father, her insides felt hollow and aching each time she thought about her mother, and she knew Daphne felt the same way as well. She was the one who cared about them, listened to them, praised them when they did something right, and loved them unconditionally. She didn't know how she was going to survive without her and the thought caused her eyes to start leaking again. She only had Daphne now, and despite being so strong, Daphne was barely an adult. Astoria knew Daphne wouldn't abandon her, but the fact remained that it would be quite some time before Astoria could consider living alone on her own, and till then she would have to be a burden to Daphne, and the thought caused her to sob uncontrollably.

She did not know when he came, but she soon found herself being comforted by Harry, and she cried on his shoulders. He put an arm around her, and took her hand with his free hand and squeezed it, softly whispering "It's alright".

Eventually she calmed down and her crying toned down to occasional sniffs. Harry silently conjured a napkin and handed it to her.

"Did anyone bother you?" he asked softly and she shook her head. He nodded and squeezed her shoulder again. She noticed that his shirt was all wet from her tears. He must have been looking at her eyes because he followed her line of sight and noticing the large wet spot, immediately cleaned it up.

She gave him a quick hug before going to the washroom to clean up.

"Where does Daph keep her parchment and quills? I should write to her." She said, as soon as she came out. Harry went to Daphne's desk and pulled out the second drawer where he knew she kept her stationery.

"Do you want to talk to her now?" he asked, handing her the parchments, quill and ink bottle.

"Do you have a floo?" she asked, looking around.

"No, not a floo. Hang on, let me check."

He pulled out his mirror and called his mother.

"Harry, what's up?"

"Hi mum, is Daphne around? Astoria wants to talk to her."

"I'll have to check if she is available. How about I call you back in a few moments?"

Harry nodded and the connection went off. Astoria was staring at the mirror.

"Where did you get one of these?" she asked enviously.

"My dad and his friends made it when they were at school." He explained. Astoria remembered another question she had.

"Who is Padfoot? Is he a relative?"

"No, he's not a relative, but he is family. He is my godfather, actually, and my dad's best friend. His actual name is Sirius Black. Padfoot was just his nickname at school and he likes to make a serious/Sirius pun so often that we call him Padfoot more often than Sirius. You met him?"

Astoria nodded. That explained a few things.

"Wait, did you say Black? I thought Blacks were a dark family?" Harry chuckled.

"They are, mostly. But Sirius is an odd egg. He was in Gryffindor and ran away from his home when he was a little older than you. He was the rebel of the family."

Astoria was about to ask more about the running away part, when Harry's mirror called out his name.

"Mum?"

"Daphne's here." Lily Potter said as she passed the mirror to the girl.

Daphne looked on the verge of breaking. The bags under her eyes were enormous, and her normally pretty face looked like it had been dragged through hell and back. Her eyes were cold and indifferent, just like the mask she put on in public.

"Hi Daphne." Harry said in an uncertain voice.

"Hello." She replied, her voice slightly cracked, but void of emotion.

"Astoria wants to talk to you. I'll put her on." Harry passed the mirror to Astoria and whispered, "I'll be downstairs' before leaving to give her some privacy.

It broke his heart to see her like this. She looked absolutely devastated, both physically and emotionally. He shivered as he thought about her empty, cold eyes. He wished he could help in some way, but also knew that this was her battle and she had to fight it alone if she wanted to really assert herself as the head of family. He still wished he was there to show his support, but also knew that it was not possible.

Astoria came down after a while, the connection already gone. He was hoping he could talk to Daphne for a while, but she must have been busy. Or upset. Or both.

"I never thanked you for the CD player, did I?" Astoria said as she sat down beside him, handing the mirror back to him.

"You don't have to. How is Daphne?" he asked, turning the conversation away from little things like Christmas presents. Astoria looked down.

"She is holding up for now. I think she will explode soon."

"Why do you think so?" Harry asked curiously.

"You know how Daph puts on this face of cold indifference to people, right?" Harry nodded in confirmation. "Well, I think this time she put it on to hold up herself without breaking down in front of anyone, and she hadn't let anything out and kept that face on all the time. I haven't seen her cry even a little bit since we heard the news. I know she will have to explode sometime or the other." Astoria explained.

"The longer the wait, the bigger the explosion." Harry nodded in understanding. He understood perfectly well why she did that and to be honest, he probably would've done the same thing in her position.

Soon, it was getting late and Astoria had to go back to her common room. Harry, like the big brother she thought him to be, went with her, softly talking to her on the way. Reaching the Slytherin common room, he silently watched her go in, not wanting to enter the snake hole again. As she was out of sight and Harry turned around, he saw a yellow curse coming at him. Smartly sidestepping the curse, he looked around for the offender, when five more curses flew at him and his quick shield deflected four of them, but he got caught by a full body bind and fell down, hard.

A group of seventh year Slytherin students, with Draco Malfoy in front, came out of the shadows, smirking evilly.

"So you thought you could come to our common room, threaten us and then get away with it?" Draco Malfoy sneered, his foot very close to Harry. He pulled it back to kick Harry in the face, but let out a yelp when it got stuck behind him. Regaining his balance, he turned to look back at his feet and saw no one nearby.

"As a matter of fact, yes. That is exactly what I thought." Harry said, standing up. Malfoy yelped in surprise once again, seeing Harry Potter throwing off a full body bind on his own. He looked around to see why no one has attacked him yet and to his shock, he realized that everyone else was now in a full body bind. As soon as he realized that, he suddenly felt that he was petrified as well. The only thing he could move were his eyes. Harry lazily walked forward and pulled the left arm of Malfoy's robe up, revealing a Dark Mark. He checked the five other students as well, and found that three of them Dark Marks on their left arms as well.

He put a disillusionment charm on all of the stiff bodies and floated them in front of him, not really caring if they bumped on walls or pillars. He floated them right in front of the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office and then erased their memory of the whole day just before disillusioning himself and dispelling the disillusionment charm from them. They looked confused for a few moments but after they realized that they were petrified in front of Dumbledore's office, with their robes rolled up to reveal the Dark Mark, they had looks of panic in their eyes.

_Good. Let them spend their time in fear until Dumbledore found them._

**Ioioioioioioioioioioi**

Aurors arrived just after curfew, and arrested the four Death Eaters. Harry knew that they would be released within two days because of the level of corruption and infiltration at the ministry, but Harry was still glad to get rid of them from the school, at least. He had already reported the incident to his dad.

Unfortunately, the other two students were let go, but kept under probation since no one knew why they were here with their Death Eater friends.

Next day, there were whisperings everywhere as the expelling of four students were announced. Some Slytherins, who knew that those students were planning on giving Harry a lesson were shooting wary glances at the Head Boy, but Harry ignored them. He was happy to see that Astoria was talking to her friends again. He didn't mind her spending time in his dorm, but he knew that she had to eventually talk to her friends.

The Daily Prophet brought news of 'accidents' befalling some muggleborn families and Harry knew that Voldemort and his minions were active again. There was no mention of students arrested for being Death Eaters. In fact, the word 'Death Eater' did not appear on the paper at all. It appeared that The Prophet was breached as well.

Having a free period, Harry sought out Neville. He knew Neville had a free period as well.

"There you are." He called at Neville, who was hanging around a greenhouse, to absolutely no one's surprise.

"Hiya Harry." Neville called back, gently brushing off the dirt off a purple plant. Harry wasn't entirely sure, but it seemed that the plant was _purring._

"Busy?"

"Not really, what's up?"

"Not much. Wanna hang around? I have a free period." Harry offered. Neville shrugged.

"Sure. Ginny is in class as well, so I have nothing better to do."

"Apart from touching plants, apparently." Harry teased lightly. Neville rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. Just don't eat your words when I raise up an army of plants." Neville laughed at his own joke.

"I'd pay to see some Death Eaters getting defeated by plants." Harry said and they both broke into laughter.

"How's Daphne?" Neville asked once they were composed again.

"Not that well, I suppose." Harry replied solemnly. "I really haven't got the chance to talk to her. She is kind of in the middle of a legal shitstorm, and with all that's happened, I don't blame her for closing herself off."

"You really care for her, don't you?" Neville asked in a quiet voice. Harry chuckled dryly.

"Of course I do. I know it's crazy considering everything, but she is one of my closest friends right now." He confessed.

"Only a friend?" Neville pried. Harry scowled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, a bit defensively.

"Nothing. I'm just asking if you see her as a friend only, or something more." Neville replied calmly. Harry sighed.

"Look Nev, I know what you are trying to say, and while I admit she is a great girl once you _really_ get to know her, but I hardly think I would be thinking anything along those lines at this time. She is a good friend and now that she is going through shit, I will give her all the support she needs as a friend. Just like I would do for you." Harry finished. Neville raised his hands as a gesture of surrendering.

"Hey mate, I didn't ask you to do anything you are not comfortable with. I'm just asking if you are sure about what you are doing. I don't want you to get hurt."

Harry smiled. Despite the world sitting on his shoulders, Neville still worried about the people around him. That was part of what made him a great friend. A great man.

"Don't worry about it mate. I know you are just looking out for me, and I appreciate it." He said, slapping Neville's back. "While we are on the topic, how are things going with Ginny?"

A smile broke out on Neville's face, that told Harry everything he needed to know.

"Gin's brilliant. Absolutely fantastic. I am not even mad at you for forcing us to date anymore."

"To be honest, I just forced you to sit down together for a few minutes. You didn't even have to talk, you know." Harry said with a grin and Neville grimaced, but his eyes were shining all the same.

"Can I tell you something?" Neville asked after a while.

"Of course Nev. What's up?" Harry asked.

"I think I just don't fancy Ginny anymore." Neville confessed. Harry frowned for a moment before he started to realize what his friend was trying to say.

"You mean you're-"

"Falling for her." Neville finished in a small, shy voice. Harry stared at him for a second.

"That's fantastic mate! Have you told her yet?" He asked. Neville smiled nervously.

"Not yet, but I want to. Is that normal? We haven't been together for long."

"Since when have _you_ started caring about normal?" Harry teased. Neville rolled his eyes.

"You know what I mean. Things are going too fast, and I am a little bit scared and thrilled at this same time."

"Nev, don't take this the wrong way, but with everything that goes around you, I think falling in love with Ginny is the last thing that should scare you." Harry joked and Neville laughed, grateful for Harry's attempt at lightening the mood.

"I know right! Screw Voldemort, this is the real shit." He joked.

They chatted idly for a while, Neville telling Harry how great Ginny was, but Harry was only half listening to most of it. He really felt happy for his friend, but what stood out the most was how different Neville seemed than he was a few weeks back. Just before Harry set him up with Ginny, Neville was severely depressed, and seemed to be giving up on life. He was glad that his friend looked much happier and confident now. Merlin knew he deserved it.

Later that day, Astoria came by his dorm and asked if she could talk to Daphne again. Harry called his mother and gave the mirror to Astoria, letting her explain that she wanted Daphne, and went out of the room again to give her some privacy. Once again, Daphne didn't ask to talk with him and although he understood that she was very busy and preoccupied, he still felt a little hollow. He did his best not to dwell on it though.

"How is she holding up?" Harry asked as Astoria, who was now sipping coffee.

"Not well. She has closed herself off completely." She replied sadly. Harry nodded.

"And what about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, I guess. People have been whispering around me a bit, but nothing that I cannot handle." She assured him.

"No one giving you any trouble?" He asked and Astoria smiled.

"Not after your speech. Which reminds me, most Slytherins think that you are behind the expulsions of those Death Eater kids."

"And what do you think?" Harry asked her carefully. Astoria shrugged.

"I don't care either way, but if it was true, thank you."

Harry smiled at her, neither confirming, nor denying his involvement. Astoria was a clever girl. She could figure things out herself.

"C'mon, let's get you back to the snake hole." Harry said, getting up. "Don't want to break the curfew."

"I am a prefect and you are the Head Boy. We both have extended curfews." Astoria pointed out cheekily, but stood up all the same. "Also, I can walk back to my common room by myself."

"Alright, then. See you." Harry said, turning back. Astoria grabbed his hand.

"Didn't say I _wanted_ to walk back myself."

Harry lightly yanked on her ponytail for the trouble before firmly grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the portrait, Astoria laughing, after what felt like ages, at his antics.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioi**

The week went on like that pretty fast. Hermione was doing well as the Head Girl and Astoria came to talk with both Harry and Daphne every evening. Harry occasionally spent time in the Gryffindor common room, but he mostly studied ahead and trained according to routine. More families were attacked by the Death Eaters and Sirius informed him that numerous muggle villages were destroyed all over the country. The Order had been able to save a few families, but it was not much.

Daphne's legal obligations were almost over, and they went as smoothly as one could hope, thanks to the lawyer Sirius hired. Apparently Daphne had tried to pay for the lawyer's hiring fee, but Sirius had explained that neither the lawyer, nor he himself would accept her money, so she had better get rid of that idea.

Daphne arrived at Hogwarts on Friday evening. Harry and Astoria both were present when she appeared and although she looked better than what Harry saw in the mirror, she still looked exhausted and emotionless. When Professor McGonagall explained that Hermione was acting as the temporary Head Girl and that she could retain her duties whenever she felt comfortable, she just nodded blankly and thanked her with a bland tone.

She thanked Harry for taking care of Astoria in the same emotionless voice and did not speak at all through the journey to the dorm. When they entered, she bid him goodnight and went to her room, without turning back at Harry. It was 7 p.m. on the clock.

Daphne did not come out of her room the next morning and Harry brought a basket of breakfast for her and knocked on her door. After a long time, she opened the door and seeing the food basket, she thanked him emotionlessly and went back to reading a book, ignoring the food and Harry. After a few seconds, Harry left the room, closing the door behind him.

Lunch was more or less the same, and Harry saw that the breakfast basket was still untouched and he took it away while leaving the room, and he didn't think she even noticed that. In the evening, she came out of her room and sought out Harry, who was in her room. She didn't enter the room and asked Harry if he could give her an overview on the lessons she missed since they were mostly in the same classes. Harry gave her his notes and she thanked him and left the room. Harry called after her that he could explain if she faced a problem with anything, but he wasn't sure if she heard it.

Astoria dropped by later, and she didn't look happy when she got out of Daphne's room. Harry escorted her to her common room again, and on his way back, he stopped in the kitchen to take two dinner baskets with him.

Harry had a Déjà vu as he knocked on Daphne's door for the third time that day and immediately noticed the lunch basket sitting in the exact spot he left it earlier. Like a programmed robot, Daphne took the new basket and put it away and thanked him in that emotionless voice again.

Harry was not entirely sure if leaving her alone would be the better option. He knew she wanted him to leave her alone, but he didn't know if that was what she needed. Throwing caution to the wind, he decided to be a Gryffindor.

"Daphne?" he called tentatively.

"Yes?" she replied without looking out from the book. He remained silent for a while until she looked at him.

"You have to eat." Daphne nodded.

"I will."

"You didn't touch your breakfast or your lunch." He pointed out. She looked at him with expressionless eyes for a long time.

"I wasn't hungry." She replied.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment. Then he went and softly held her hand.

"Daphne?"

Her blank expression fluttered for the tiniest fraction of a second before going back. Her hand was as cold as her eyes.

"Yes?"

Harry grasped her hand with both hands.

"Can you please eat something? For me? Please?"

She was silent and Harry saw the opportunity to summon the basket to his hand and hand her a sandwich. She stared at the sandwich for a long time before slowly taking a bite. Harry smiled encouragingly and she took another bite.

Gradually she finished the whole sandwich and Harry handed her another one. She shook her head and Harry considered insisting, but he thought better. She would be exhausted later, but he was trying to take small steps. He gave her some pumpkin juice and she drank a few sips before returning it. Harry was willing to count it as a small victory and seeing that she did not attempt to speak to him, he left the room.

The next day was almost similar, except that Hermione came over and greeted Daphne when saw her and asked her if she would be resuming her duty as Head Girl, but Daphne simply shrugged a little and went back to her room. Harry had promised Hermione that he would talk to her and give her a definite answer.

As Hermione left, he knocked on her door for the fourth time that day and it was a long time before she opened the door. Her eyes were colder than usual, and her blank expression was leaking hints of anger.

"What?" she asked, her voice colder than ice. Harry knew he was about to bear the burn of that explosion Astoria was talking about, but he knew he could take it, and more importantly, he knew she needed to explode before it was too late.

"Let's take a walk. Come on." Harry said casually and she looked surprised for a moment before her expression was unfriendly once again.

"Thanks, I'll pass."

Harry knew he was literally poking a sleeping dragon in the eye, as he grabbed her hand and said, "I insist."

Daphne dropped all pretence of keeping a blank face and her face was red with anger.

"Why don't you leave me alone?" she said with gritted teeth, trying unsuccessfully to shake her hand away. He silently summoned her wand and pulled her along.

"I'm just annoying like that." He replied as he cast a full body bind on her and floated her all the way to the Room of Requirement, which became Harry's training room as they entered.

He gently placed her gently on the ground before throwing her wand at her feet and removing the body bind from her. She looked absolutely murderous.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she shouted, her face red. Harry knew he was risking it big time, but he saw no other way.

"Just wanted to duel for a bit." He answered casually, twirling his wand between his fingers. She picked up her wand and looked at him for a long time before turning to leave. Harry cursed mentally. He _really _didn't want to do this. Aiming his wand at her, he fired a jelly leg jinx on her, followed by an Impedimenta.

As soon as she looked at him, he knew he had switched it on.

She let out a stream of curses, ranging from stunners and reductos to blood freezing curses. Harry sidestepped or blocked the more dangerous ones, and got hit by a number of cutting and bludgeoning curses. He knew that she was far more skilled than the Death Eaters he fought on the night before returning to Hogwarts, but he was fairly confident that he could block or dodge almost all of her curses. He sent back a few underpowered stunners and harmless curses silently, to give her the illusion that he was fighting back. It was a dangerous game, because he could easily see that her eyes were screaming murder and her curses were becoming darker and more dangerous. He was quite alarmed when he noticed what looked like an organ boiling curse wheeze past him. He considered scrapping the whole thing and try to take her out before he placed himself in mortal danger. He was getting hit with more curses than he was comfortable with, and he started to think that this was probably not a well-thought out plan.

Suddenly, she screamed and Harry's eyes went wide as a pulsing curse came right at him before he could raise a shield or dodge.

There was a loud snap and Harry couldn't stop himself from crying out loud as he felt the bone on his right leg break into two.

Harry clutched the broken leg and re-aligned it before quickly conjuring a cast over it. He rolled over just in time to see a horror-struck look on Daphne. He tried to get up, but his leg gave out, causing him to fall over again, as Daphne ran for the exit, tears streaking on her pale face.

_Well that plan went to hell pretty quickly,_ he thought bitterly.

* * *

_A/N: My beta __**slucas123**__ is not feeling well, so this chapter might have a lot of mistakes, which all belong to me. Many among you have told me that this chapter would be crucial to see my capacity as a writer. Well, do let me know how I did._


	12. Healing

**12\. Healing**

It was still early in the morning when Lily woke up. James sat upright beside her as well, with both mirrors vibrating and calling their respective names.

Remus was calling both of them, and Lily let out a gasp as she saw Remus. He was covered in blood, his clothes tattered and he looked like hell dragged over.

"What happened to you, Moony?" James all but shouted. Remus was out of breath.

"Pick me… up. Please… Can't… move… on my… own." He gasped out between ragged breaths.

He managed to sputter out his location, and James left immediately. Lily came down to the kitchen and started making some coffee. James returned with a bloody and battered Remus supporting his weight heavily, as he gently set him down on the couch.

Lily immediately diagnosed him with a charm and winced to see that he had eight broken bones, broken ribs, and ripped flesh from what looked to be werewolf attacks. Gently peeling off the bloodied and tattered cloth that clung to his body, she quickly cleaned up the dirt and blood and saw large, black bruises all over his body. Thankfully, none of his internal organs were damaged.

She stunned him before readjusting the broken bones and sealing the flesh wounds. She repaired the cracked ribs at last and noticed that the broken bones were slowly mending themselves. _Possibly the only perk of being a werewolf_, she thought.

She went to fetch her potions kit and took a blood replenishing potion out of it. Unfortunately, she was out of Skele-Gro, so she had to make it in order to heal his bones quickly. She handed the potion and a salve to James, instructing him to feed the potion to Remus and rub the salve on his bruises.

Skele-Gro took around two hours to brew, and during a one-hour simmering period, Lily came back from her lab to see Remus sitting up. Thankfully, James had noticed the coffee and they were both holding a cup. Remus tried to thank Lily but she asked him to stop talking nonsense and tell them what happened.

Apparently, Dumbledore had sent him to talk with the werewolves again, despite previous failures, and still asked him not to show any sort of violence. The werewolves already thought of Remus as a harmless wolf who was nothing but an irritation. This time they sent two others to attack him and chase him as far as they could. Not being able to defend himself, Remus couldn't run away from two werewolves attacking fiercely and was severely hurt. He aborted the mission and apparated to a spot a little far from them and called for help because he wasn't in any condition to apparate long distances.

"Why don't you say no to these missions, Remus? It is abundantly clear that Dumbledore has no idea about werewolf norms, and he clearly thinks that he could win them over with kindness just like you. Clearly, that's not the case, and the only one suffering for his faulty thinking is you." Lily ranted, her green eyes glinting with fire.

"But Dumbledore is our leader. We have to do what he asks us to do if we trust him to win the war, don't we?" Remus replied, not really meeting her eyes.

"That's bullshit, Moony, and you know it. Dumbledore is human just like the rest of us, and he has admitted to mistakes in the past." James said, quite pissed at the old headmaster.

Remus looked down. Deep down, he knew Dumbledore didn't know what he was doing with regards to the werewolf front. Remus knew perfectly well that if he really wanted the werewolves on his side, he had to take the leader down with aggressive dominance. Dumbledore, however, thought that was a crude and inhumane way of doing things, and they should not take that path if they wanted to show that they were different from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. In his noble attempt to humanize werewolves, Dumbledore completely overlooked the fact that werewolves were, in fact, different from regular human beings.

However, Remus couldn't disobey an order from Dumbledore. James and Lily could, of course, but they weren't the ones Dumbledore allowed to attend Hogwarts despite being a werewolf from a young age and posing a danger to anyone around him when the full moon came. He owed his life to Dumbledore and he wouldn't let a few bruises swerve his loyalty from the great wizard. Besides, this was war and casualties are inevitable. It was not like his werewolf abilities would not heal him within a day.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

Harry left a basket of breakfast at Daphne's doorstep when she didn't open the door after knocking for well over ten minutes. The door was locked, and he had checked twice that she was in her room. It was the same as last night, when he rushed back after her but found her door locked. She hadn't answered her door after almost half an hour of knocking.

He didn't count on this part, to be honest. He thought that she would let loose on him and after she got it out of her system, she would be back to normal, or as normal as one could hope for a week after they were orphaned. He didn't count on her breaking his leg into two and then shutting herself out completely. At least she was talking to Harry before.

He didn't concentrate hard on his classes that day. Neville once asked him about his distracted state, but he said that he was having trouble sleeping, which was true. He did not stop by the Gryffindor common room and went straight back to the dorm after his classes. Hermione had asked him if he knew when Daphne was returning to her duties, and he told her that Daphne was not feeling well and he would ask her when she felt a little better.

Back in his dorm, with yet another basket in his hand, Harry knocked for two minutes before he had enough.

"Alright Daphne, if you don't open this door within the next minute I'm gonna blow it right off its hinges. I'm not even slightly joking." He announced loudly.

The door opened after a few seconds and Daphne looked back at him with empty eyes. Her eyes were blood red and she had tear streaks covering her face.

"Thank you. Can I come in?" He asked gently. She looked at him for a long time before stepping aside, making way for him.

Harry muttered another 'Thank you' before coming in, bringing the two baskets with him.

He closed the door and simply looked at her, as she sat down on the bed and looked down. Hesitantly, he sat down beside her.

"Eat, please." He said, holding a sandwich to her mouth. She stayed still for a few seconds before opening her mouth and taking a bite of the sandwich. He fed her the whole sandwich and then gave her an apple before he was satisfied. As he put down the basket, she was looking at him with an unreadable expression.

"You want some pumpkin juice?" He asked, and she shook her head. "Water?" She nodded, and he poured her a goblet of water and she drank it, still looking at him.

"You're gonna say something?" He asked her gently, as he put the goblet down from her hand and faced her.

"Why?" She whispered in a broken voice.

"Pardon?" He asked, not understanding what she was asking. She stayed silent for a while before speaking again, this time her voice a bit clearer.

"Why do you do this?"

"If you mean why do I feed you it is because I don't want to see you die from starvation and you won't eat by yourself. You barely ate anything since you arrived." He explained, avoiding the obvious implication looming in the air.

"I broke your leg." She whispered, fresh tears in her eyes.

"After many attempts over the years." He tried to joke, but she didn't seem to be appreciating it. He sighed and scooted closer to her and put an arm around her.

"Hey, it's okay. Though I have to ask you to not do it again, I'm not mad about it, either. I should have dodged or shielded, but I was not fast enough. Anyway, I was pushing you so you could break out of your funk, not fall into another one."

Daphne's lips were trembling. With all that she went through, she was still trying to hold on to some essence of dignity by not giving in. As much as Harry appreciated her stubbornness, he also knew that she had to let go. He gently took her hand in his hand, pulled her close and kissed her temple.

"It's okay." He whispered.

That seemed to be the breaking point for her. Daphne let her emotions take over after a very long fight, and she sobbed. Her hands were covering her face and Harry turned and gently pulled her head to his shoulders as she cried and she slowly moved her hands from her face to his back, as he held her comfortingly, rocking her slowly and gently stroking her head with his free hand. A weird part of his mind reminded him that this was the second Greengrass girl who was crying in his shoulders within a week.

Daphne calmed down a lot faster than Astoria had done and remembering the previous incident, Harry quickly cleaned up the wet spot on his shirt before Daphne noticed.

"Thank you Harry." She said with a sniff. Harry just rubbed his hand on her arms reassuringly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry asked gently. Daphne shook her head.

"Not yet, but maybe someday. Thanks for asking." She said gratefully.

"You are still hungry." Harry commented and Daphne actually let out a watery chuckle.

"I am, actually." She admitted after a hiccup. She felt extremely light and her body was reminding her that she hadn't eaten much in the last couple of days. In fact, she hadn't eaten that much in the week before coming to Hogwarts.

"Do you like pizza?" Harry asked, forming a plan.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"Pizza. Do you like it? Actually, do you even know what pizza is?"

Daphne was a pureblood, which meant the concept of pizza may not be something she was familiar with.

"No. Is that muggle food?"

"Yes it is, and we are going to have it now." Harry announced, hoping she wouldn't refuse.

"How?" She asked, bewildered.

"You'll see. Do you have any muggle clothes?"

"Nothing that I can wear outside." Muggle clothing was something she had never explored other than the few items Tracey introduced her to. She had seen some muggle fashion magazines and their dresses looked very elegant and stylish, but she had never been to a muggle shop.

"I think we can manage something."

He beckoned her to follow him to his room.

Harry searched his wardrobe for clothes that might look good on Daphne and found a pair of jeans and a Liverpool football shirt. Handing her the clothing, he asked her to change.

"Where are we going?"

"Muggle London, of course." He answered as if it was obvious.

"But how?"

"We'll go to Hogsmeade and then apparate to London."

"Are you mental? That's crazy!"

He simply pointed at the muggle clothes. Sighing in defeat, she went back to her room to use the bathroom, and after a few minutes, she came back, dressed in jeans and a football shirt. She had put on a little makeup to hide the bags under her eyes in addition to a pair of earrings. She also shrank the clothes to fit her perfectly, and Harry had to turn away quickly to hide a slight blush. He never got tired of noticing that under her school robes and roomy casualwear she wore in the dorm Daphne had a _very_ attractive figure. Getting a hold of himself, he looked at her and saw that she was looking down at her new clothes to see how she looked.

"You look good. Let's go." He said, already wearing a pair of jeans and a plain green shirt. Daphne's cheeks coloured a little at the compliment, and she headed for the exit.

"Not that way." Harry said, as he summoned his broom. She gaped at him.

"Please tell me you're not about to do what I think you're about to do." She said in a slightly shaky voice, and Harry grinned widely.

"Oh blondie, we are about to do _exactly_ what you think we are about to do."

"There's no way I'm gonna fly all the way to Hogsmeade. I suck at flying."

"I know." He answered with a smirk and she was a bit surprised. "That's why you are not flying; I am."

Daphne's jaws dropped at the outrageous suggestion and before she knew what was going on, he was already in front of her, hovering mid-air in his broom.

"Hop on." He said with a grin, but she didn't move. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid of flying." She admitted in a small voice.

"What are you afraid of?" He asked, wondering if she was afraid of heights.

"I'm afraid I will fall off." She said, and Harry smiled.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes." It scared her how fast she answered, but it was true nonetheless.

"I won't let you fall." He promised sincerely. Daphne looked at him for a long time before climbing up behind him.

"Make sure you don't." She whispered with a slightly shaking voice, already grabbing Harry tightly in fear. Once more Harry had to control his hormones as Daphne clung to him tightly and certain things were pressing up against his back.

He took off from the open window and Harry put a disillusionment charm and a warming charm over them as he left the castle behind.

"You okay?" he asked her, as her head was buried on the back of his shoulder.

"Yes." She replied, eyes tightly shut. Harry laughed.

"Open your eyes. It's a magnificent view from here. And don't worry about falling off. The broom has a charm to hold people to it unless they want to leave." He said and felt her slowly lifting her head from behind his back to look out.

"It's beautiful." She admitted softly, momentarily forgetting about the fact that they were flying. The mountains on their left, lake below, and the Forbidden Forest on their right painted a beautiful picture.

Harry steered downwards towards the lake and for a moment Daphne panicked but he levelled off gradually, the water just touching their feet and Daphne laughed. She hadn't felt this free in a long time and as Harry pulled upward in a sharp climb, she felt her fear leaving as she let out a whoop of joy. Harry was laughing in front of her and she realized that she was barely holding him with one hand, her other waving at the air.

As he levelled off in the air again, she slowly let go of both hands and spread them out like a bird, feeling the air sweeping her face. A single drop of tear escaped her eyes, and she knew it was not a tear of sadness. She also realized that Harry was the reason she felt so free and light, and that he made her feel safe. More thoughts about Harry were trying to crawl inside her head, but she pushed them away and closed her eyes to simply enjoy the moment and feel the wind on her body.

Soon, the ride was over and Harry landed on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. As they climbed down, Daphne had a big smile on her face and Harry was once again struck by the fact that when she wasn't being cold and empty, she was possibly the prettiest girl he had ever seen.

"Wasn't that bad now, was it?" He asked with a smile, and she beamed at him.

"It was wonderful. Thank you." She said softly. He shrunk his broom and held out his hand for her. As she placed her hand in his palm, they disapparated.

They arrived at a dimly-lit alleyway and as they came out from it, Daphne took her first step out into a larger world. Her immediate thought was that there were a _lot_ of muggles. Of course, she had seen muggles before, but never so many at the same time.

They walked together for a few minutes, and Daphne tried not to gawk at the huge shops displaying _wonderful_ shoes and clothes. Soon, they were climbing up a flight of stairs to enter a shop that looked very warm and cosy. The waiter guided them to a seat by the glass window overlooking the street below. Harry ordered, as Daphne was clueless, and they sat in companionable silence for a time.

"Thank you for doing this." She spoke quietly, looking down at the table. He shrugged.

"I wanted to have pizza, and house elves don't even know what a pizza is."

"No, I don't mean the pizza thing." She clarified. She was not really one for expressing emotions, spending most of her life doing the exact opposite, but she felt like she had to do it now. "I mean thanks for everything you have done since I got back. I know I was turning away from everything. It's unfair to you and Tori."

Harry discreetly put on a few privacy and notice-me-not wards around them, and Daphne noticed that a young man who had been staring at her breasts suddenly looked confusedly around.

"I hated it when I saw you put on that cold and indifferent mask of yours when I knew that you were hurting. Astoria told me that you have been keeping it all inside, and it will eventually lead to an explosion. I knew that feeling too. And I knew that if you exploded on Astoria, you would never forgive yourself. As far as I knew, the only other person that you would let in to your life enough to break down was me, so I knew I had to push you because you are one stubborn prat."

"So are you." She whispered with a slight smile, as she dabbed on her eyes.

"I know." He said with a grin. "And I knew that it had to be done for both your and Astoria's sake. Don't tell anybody else, but I kinda like talking to you. Because of that, it was not a very hard decision to make."

"But I hurt you!" She quietly exclaimed, tears running down her face freely. "I snapped your leg in half. You should have stayed away from me." She whispered. He took her hands and sandwiched them between both his hands.

"Daphne, I knew exactly what I was doing and I don't blame you in the slightest. Yeah I'll admit that it hurt for a bit, but you did not do it out of malice or hatred towards me. You were angry and upset, and that is exactly what I was trying to get you to let out. I fanned the flames on purpose. Though let me say, you have a mean arsenal at your disposal. Some of the curses you started throwing around on the later stages were pretty dangerous." He complimented her, and she ducked her head.

"I really wanted to hurt you because you were dodging or blocking most of my curses." She admitted shamefully.

"Yeah, I gathered as much. I tried not to block or dodge the less harmful ones so that you didn't get even more frustrated, but your spells got downright lethal in the last few minutes and I had to block them or evade them."

"Wait, what do you mean by you tried not to block? Are you saying you could have blocked all of my spells if you wanted?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Why do you think you never landed a major curse on me but several small ones got through when it's easier to block the small ones?" He asked with a wink, and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"You allowed me to hurt you intentionally?" She asked.

"Which part of blowing off your steam includes missing your target or get them all blocked? And anyway, the last one genuinely got through. I was distracted and didn't have enough time to get a stone up in time. And if you try to apologize about my leg one more time, I will leave you here." He warned as she opened her mouth.

There was a silence between them and seeing their waiter returning with the pizza, Harry dispelled all the wards to allow him through.

Daphne immediately decided that she loved pizza. This was one of the best things she ever tasted. Harry had ordered three large pizzas so she could get the full monty. When she mentioned that they could never finish all of these, he told her that they would take away the leftovers home. At this point, Daphne decided that muggles were very smart for that brilliant idea.

They talked about unimportant things while eating, and Daphne tried muggle wine, which she loved. Harry got a bottle and Daphne tried to protest, saying that he was spending too much money. However, Harry said that muggle food was way cheaper than wizarding foods, and when Harry paid the bill in cash and converted the amount in galleons for her, she realized he was right. It was very cheap.

As the waiter handed him the boxes of leftover pizza, and they left the restaurant, Daphne linked her arm through his as they walked towards the alleyway where they would apparate.

"I want to visit muggle London again sometime." She said softly, as he reached out for her hand.

"Consider it done then." He replied with a smile before disapparating away.

The journey back to the castle was more blissful as Daphne enjoyed the ride back to the fullest this time. Seeing her lifted spirits, Harry asked her to hold on tightly and when she obliged, he pulled down on a steep dive straight towards the ground. Daphne was screaming in fear and thrill all at once and whooped as he pulled out of the dive, only a few yards away from the ground. He then proceeded to fly in a spiral and then shooting straight upwards for a while before turning back and gently entering their dorm window.

They climbed down from the broom, and Harry saw that Daphne's face was flushed from excitement.

"You always fly like a lunatic?" She asked breathlessly, but with a smile.

"Actually, I never fly that boringly." He said with a cheeky grin and she laughed, but there was a battle going on inside her head.

Sometimes, Daphne hated her stubborn and sensible head. All she wanted to do right now was snog the daylights out of him, but she knew that would be more due to the emotional rollercoaster she just went through. And she really did not want to complicate or jeopardize what they had.

Hesitantly, she moved towards him and kissed his cheek, exercising all of her self-control to not shift her lips those agonizing few inches, before engulfing him in a hug. He was a bit surprised, but hugged her back.

"Thank you." She said, letting go.

"Anytime."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

"Lily, this is a pleasant surprise. Please take a seat." The headmaster smiled at his guest. "Sherbet Lemon?" He offered a bowl of candy and Lily declined.

"Thank you Albus, but no."

Dumbledore nodded. "May I help you? Or is this a social visit?" He asked. Lily took a deep breath.

"I wanted to have a chat with you. About Remus."

"Of course. I have some free time now." A kettle of tea and two cups appeared in front of him as he served tea for two. Lily added sugar to her own.

"Do you know what happened after his last mission?" Dumbledore nodded.

"Ah, yes. We encountered failure again. I think we should give it a few days before trying again."

"Trying again?" Lily said in a dangerously calm voice, and Dumbledore recognized it immediately. Even he had once taken the brunt of Lily's anger, and it was not a pleasant experience.

"My dear Lily, you have to understand that we cannot afford to have the werewolves join Voldemort's side any more than they already have."

"Do you have any idea exactly what happened last time Remus came back from the mission?" She asked, her voice rising gradually.

"Remus did not say anything specific, no. He just told me they turned him away again."

Lily looked at him for a long time before calming down. If he didn't know about his condition, she couldn't really blame Dumbledore for trying to send him again.

"He couldn't come back on his own. He called James for help, and he had apparate him back to our home." Dumbledore was shocked.

"You mean he was hurt?" He asked, knowing that hurting a werewolf was not an easy feat.

"Let's put it this way. If Remus was not a werewolf, he would have died three times over. The amount of blood he lost was more than enough to knock even a werewolf unconscious. He stayed awake to call for help simply out of sheer willpower. All of his ribs were either cracked or broken, and he had to down three vials of Skele-Gro to mend all the broken bones. I couldn't even keep count on the number of flesh wounds and bruises, and keep in mind that there are not many things that can puncture the flesh of a werewolf. Should I go on, or do you get the picture?"

Dumbledore's eyes were misty. He never imagined Remus had been injured to this extent.

"But he didn't… say-" He started in a voice full of despair but Lily cut him off.

"Yes, he didn't tell you, do you know why? Because let me tell you that he knows _perfectly well_ that he would be attacked but approached them anyway because you asked him to do so." Lily nearly shouted and Dumbledore looked a century older.

"I had… no idea… about-" He admitted but Lily was not finished yet.

"And you want to know why he did it anyway? Because he feels like he owes his life to you because you let him attend Hogwarts and therefore is willing to die if you asked him to. He knows that you are going about it in the wrong way but he would rather die than question you because you are ALBUS FUCKING DUMBLEDORE!" She screamed the last part as Dumbledore winced.

"Lily, I had honestly no idea that he would put himself in danger like that-"

"Cut the crap, Albus. You asked him to _not defend himself_ in case he got attacked. COULD YOU BE ANY CLEARER ON ASKING HIM TO GET HURT?"

"I only asked him to not use violence-"

"YOU DON'T DEFEND YOURSELF AGAINST A WEREWOLF WITH A FUCKING FLOWER ALBUS! DON'T ACT INNOCENT BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT INNOCENT AT ALL!"

"But using violence means we are no different than Voldemort and his Death Eaters." Dumbledore cried out. Lily sighed and counted to ten in her mind.

"Albus, how many werewolves do you know?" She finally asked, in a normal voice.

"A few."

"And how many werewolves have you consulted with before taking the decision to approach them with 'no violence' as a critical condition?" She asked, and he looked down uncomfortably.

"Only Remus." He answered quietly.

"And what did he say immediately after he heard your proposal?"

"He said werewolves appreciated physical domination over anything else, but he said he would still approach without any violence if I wanted him to."

"Now answer me this with a simple yes or no. Do you think you know how a werewolf's mind works better than a werewolf?"

"But violence is-" He started but Lily cut him off.

"I said yes or no, Albus."

He was quiet for a long time before slowly hanging his head.

"I was foolish."

"Yes, you were. And your foolishness almost cost Remus's life and he would gladly lay it out because he feels he is so indebted to you."

Lily knew Dumbledore was not a bad person, but being old and powerful meant he thought he always knew the best, even when he had no idea about what he was doing. She hoped Dumbledore truly understood what he did wrong and learn from the mistake before it was too late.

"I don't know what to say to you. I will call Remus and take his advice on how to proceed."

"Wonderful. We don't have many fighters in our ranks. It would be a shame to lose the few we do have." She replied, content at her success.

"I will take my leave now. Sorry for yelling at you, but you are a stubborn old man, so you didn't leave me with many options." She said, standing up and Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

"Indeed. Would you like to say hello to Harry before you go?" He asked and she considered it.

"Might as well check on Daphne to see how she had been holding up."

"You know the way to your old dorm, I suppose?" Dumbledore said with a smile and Lily nodded before saying goodbye to the headmaster and went to the Head's dorm.

Harry and Daphne were chatting with Astoria, who was becoming acquainted with the muggle idea of leftovers. When the portrait announced that a former Head Girl wanted to come in, they were all confused, and Daphne picked up her wand and kept it ready as Harry went to the entrance. When Daphne saw a beaming Lily Potter, she threw away her wand and ran at her to engulf her in a hug, catching her by surprise. She was only starting to hug her back when Astoria followed her sister and hugged both of them and soon they were in a three-way hug which amused Harry greatly.

"Not to sound like a prat, but she's my mum, you know." He joked and the three ladies laughed. Daphne and Astoria let go of Lily as she gave Harry a brief hug and kissed his cheeks.

"What brings you here mum?" Harry asked as he led her inside.

"Had to talk some sense into Albus and thought I'd stop by to see how my favourite girls were doing. Thankfully, I found both of them here."

Harry poked out his tongue at Astoria.

"Yeah, since you mentioned favourite _girls, _I have no objection. You want some pizza?" He offered.

"Always." She replied, taking a piece and biting into it. "Where did you get it from?"

Daphne looked alarmed, but Harry winked at her.

"London. Where else?"

To both the Greengrass girls' surprise, Lily didn't even bat her eye, happily chewing on her pizza.

"Did you get caught?"

Looking offended, Harry responded, "Of course not."

"Cool. I found this new place that has this thing called a deep dish pizza-"

Mother and son talked about pizza for a while, and Astoria felt quite jealous of Harry for having such a cool mum. Sure, she loved her mum as well, but she would have yelled at her for an hour if she went to London. Then she remembered that she would rather have her mother yell at her and be alive and tried to choke back tears welling up.

The group idly chatted for a while, with Lily sincerely asking how the sisters were holding up, and they both admitted Harry had been a big help for them. Lily gave him a look of pride so fierce that he actually blushed.

They talked about Melanie, Padfoot, the war, the Ministry and many other things, and Astoria was surprised that Lily never tried to avoid talking about sensitive topics in front of her like her own parents used to do. She knew Lily was cool, but it still didn't stop her respect and love for Lily going further up.

After a while, Lily left, and Astoria soon decided that she had to go as well. Harry was about to get up, when Daphne asked where he was going, and Astoria explained how Harry always escorted her back to the common room since she returned and Daphne shot him a grateful smile which made Harry uncomfortable.

"Mind if I do it today? I haven't been a good sister to her for a while, and I want to visit the Slytherin common room anyway." She asked quietly and he nodded.

Astoria bid him goodbye and Harry went up to his room, thinking that the day ended much better than it had started.

* * *

_A/N: As usual, my beta __**slucas123**__ did a wonderful job on this chapter, but I might have added some stuff at the literal last minute, so please excuse any mistakes. Big shoutout to __**tripmight**__for being the 300__th__ reviewer of the story. Please tell me what you think of the chapter. Reviews are what keeps me writing._


	13. Protectors

_A/N: I come bearing bad news. I have two separate work trips out of the country coming up in January, which means there won't be any updates for a few weeks. The first week after New Year won't see any update, and the second week's update may not come in Saturday as usual, but it will be posted eventually. All in all, I don't think I can manage more than two updates in January, and I might be late for the first update of February as well. Don't worry though, I have no plans of abandoning the story. The updates will continue as normal from the second week of February. I hope y'all are going to stick with me. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. Hope you all kick 2020's butt._

* * *

**13\. Protectors**

Hermione had received an award for special service to the school for carrying out her temporary role as a Head Girl. She didn't know that it was Harry who suggested it to Professor McGonagall and after consulting with the headmaster, who approved readily, she was given the award during dinner in front of the whole school. She looked really proud and happy and Daphne personally thanked her for doing such a great job when she was unavailable herself. There was a party in the Gryffindor common room (because Gryffindors jumped at every opportunity to throw a party) and Harry invited Daphne along. A few people looked displeased at having a Slytherin among them, but they all knew that she was the Head Girl, and didn't say anything to her.

That night, after returning to their dorm, Daphne had a favour to ask Harry.

"I have been thinking lately." She said, but she didn't know how to proceed.

"Yes, a thinking blonde. Who would've thought?" Harry commented and she hit his arms, smiling but looking unsure at the same time.

"Remember how I explained to you that my family always stayed neutral during any conflicts?"

Harry nodded. He didn't agree with the ideology, but he could understand why someone would do that.

"Since I am the head of the family, and my actions will dictate how the family name will be remembered later on, and I don't want to stay neutral anymore." She took a deep breath and looked at him with a fiery determination. "I want to fight."

Harry nodded in understanding. To be honest, he actually expected this from her. She was always a proud girl and didn't let anyone get away with messing with her. There was no way she would ignore the murder of her parents and stay back at home.

"And I want you to help me train for it."

Harry was surprised.

"Me? Why? I mean, of course I will help you anyway I can, but why me?" He asked.

"Because I have seen you sneak out after curfew every day and come back with small cuts and bruises. And you admitted that you could have avoided every spell I threw at you on the night I... cursed you. I know you are at least better than me. Besides, who else would I ask for help? I don't have a family." She ended with a slightly bitter tone, but looking adamant.

"I'm pretty sure mum, dad and even Sirius consider you and Astoria family. So don't you ever think that you don't have a family. You understand?" he said fiercely and Daphne nodded, a little embarrassed.

"As for the other thing, I'll help you in every way I can, but I'm not sure I can help you a lot. I can teach you fighting techniques, but you know far more spells than I even want to know." He admitted.

"Do you mean to say you can defend but not attack?" She asked for clarification because it didn't sound very convincing.

Harry laughed. "No, that's not what I mean. I don't want to boast, but even my dad cannot defend against me when we duel and he is a Senior Auror. What I'm trying to say is that my method of fighting and my magic in general are different from most people you know. So I don't know a lot of spells you use and you don't know _any _spells I use." He explained.

"Okay... different how?" She asked, very curious.

"I'll explain later. We should probably start with getting you some fitness. Have you been running during the Christmas holidays?"

She nodded. "Yes, I only skipped on Christmas morning and continued until... that day." Harry nodded.

"Good. We will run again for a few days to get in the habit and then start on a workout routine. Since you know I sneak out at night to train, you can tag along."

Daphne smiled in appreciation. "Thanks. I hope I can prevent things like what happened to my parents in the future."

Harry looked uncomfortable for a moment, weighing if she could keep a secret, but then he realized that he had promised to reveal one of his biggest secret to her anyway so what's another one?

"I have to tell you something, Daphne."

"What?"

"I was there that night." He admitted and Daphne looked confused. "The night... your parents..." he looked distinctly uncomfortable as he saw the look of realization in her eyes. "Mum, Dad and I went from place to place to try and save anyone we could, and the last house we visited had Fiendfyre blazing all over the place. We tried to control the fire and we eventually did, but we were too late to save anyone inside. If I knew they were there, I would have tried harder or something, but we couldn't do anything." He finished with a heavy voice, not wanting to meet her eyes in case they were accusatory.

No one spoke for a long time and Harry glanced up to see that Daphne had tears in her eyes. He thought that he was doing the right thing, telling her, but now he was not sure.

"I am not sure what to say, but you couldn't have done anything. It was Fiendfyre, they were likely dead as soon as it was cast." She said in a forcibly collected voice. Harry nodded and patted her arm.

"I'm sorry." He offered timidly and she nodded, trying to wipe off the tears but they were not stopping.

"It just hurts, you know." She said in a watery voice. Harry scooted closer to her and put his arms around her.

"Tell me about them." He asked and she looked at him in confusion. "Tell me about your parents."

There was a prolonged silence while Harry wondered if it had been the right thing to ask. Eventually, however, Daphne started to talk.

"Father was very formal. He was all business, always busy with some meeting or other. We used to hate it since we were young. But as I grew older, I realised that he did all of that for us. He hardly enjoyed the luxuries that he bought for us. He was not the perfect father a child wants, but he did his best. I'm not sure how much I loved him, but I would rather him being alive and cold than not having him around."

Harry conjured a handkerchief and offered it to Daphne, who was now freely crying.

"Are you okay?" he asked her gently and she nodded. He wanted to say that it was enough for today, but she carried on.

"Mother was perfect. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. She had to be strict at us and be the lenient one at the same time because father seldom had time for us. I think she managed alright. When I was young, she used to sing when she thought no one was listening. It was beautiful. I miss her so much."

Harry squeezed her shoulders as she put her arms around him as well. Her eyes were closed, tears dripping down the corners. Harry took the handkerchief from her hand and dabbed her tear streaked face before placing an affectionate kiss on top of her head.

She calmed down after a while, but did not let him go. Not right away, at least.

"Thanks. I feel… lighter somehow." She said with a steady voice.

"If you feel _heavy_ again, you know where to find me, dontcha?" he nudged her playfully, and she smiled at him. _Merlin, she was pretty!_

"Thanks, Harry." She quietly said. "For everything."

"My pleasure, Daphne." He answered back easily. She grinned at him one last time before extracting herself from his embrace. As much as she enjoyed it, she had to clean up and get a hold of herself again. Harry got up as well.

"Well, I'm off to training. See you tomorrow morning." He said as he summoned his broom and went out of the window.

For a fleeting moment, Daphne wished she was with him on the broom before she pushed the stray thought away and went back to her room.

**Ioioioioioioioioio**

James Potter was not a happy man and he was very close to cursing someone badly. He knew Amelia Bones was feeling the same way and wished Sirius was here. He would either calm him down, or would be doing something so reckless that James would have to concentrate on stopping him, which would be a distraction from his own anger. More likely the latter.

They all knew that the Ministry was severely infiltrated by Death Eaters and their sympathizers, but to cut the Auror force in half was simply announcing it to the world. And that meant Voldemort had enough people in the Ministry to overthrow it if he wanted.

"I am not going to approve this move no matter who ordered it. The minister can come down and talk to me if he really wants it." Amelia Bones firmly said.

"Head of DMLE can be changed, I hope you did not forget that." Selwyn said in a slickly voice.

"Not until four more years. I was re-elected last year, remember?"

"Oh there can be special situations where a change needs to be done immediately." Selwyn waved a hand airily, as if discussing weather.

"Is that a threat, Selwyn?" James asked in a cold voice, knowing very well it was.

"It is a fact, Potter. I hope you can manage to clear out the list of people by tomorrow morning. We need their office by tomorrow afternoon." Selwyn pushed the parchment forward and left.

"I'm not doing this." Amelia announced as soon as he left. "There is no way in hell I'm doing this."

"I don't think you will have a better alternative, Amelia. I would be very surprised if they don't attack you personally if you refuse to do this." James said honestly, seeing no point in sugar-coating things to his superior.

"I'll even have to fire you, James! I'll have to fire every single competent Aurors I have in the force if I want to follow their orders." She exclaimed.

"Might as well. I was thinking of resigning anyway. On the bright side, most of the listed Aurors can survive without a job for a few months. We will have to gather resources to take care of the ones who cannot." James said, already starting to form a plan.

"Are you saying that we go underground? A bunch of recently fired Aurors continuing their duty or something?" she asked sceptically.

"Not all of us. Only those who want to stay and fight. We will advise the others to leave the country while they can. The ones that choose to stay can help during attacks and maybe do some attacking of our own."

"You mean like the Dumbledore's group you are in?"

James gave her a sheepish smile. "Yeah. They can join the Order or form a separate organization on their own if they want."

Amelia nodded. Those details could be worked on later. For now, she had to think about the immediate course of action. She pressed a button on her desk. A young assistant came in.

"Spinnet, go and fetch every Auror in this list and ask them to come immediately. I want everyone in that list to be in my office within five minutes." She ordered.

"Yes, Madam Bones." The assistant, a certain Alicia Spinnet, hurried off.

"I am going to resign by the end of the day." She announced to James Potter, who nodded.

**Ioioioioioioioioio**

"Padfoot, what's up?" Harry answered his mirror. Sirius looked quite… serious.

"Big things are happening here, pup. Prongs and half of the Auror force resigned yesterday, along with the Head of DMLE. Things are getting serious."

"What? Why did dad resign? Or Madame Bones, for that matter?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"Fudge asked Amelia Bones to fire more than half of the Aurors, because the ministry wants to expand departments that are involved in making new laws and keeping records. Some small departments like the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts have been evicted completely. Death Eaters are taking over the whole ministry. It's only a matter of time before Voldemort is announced the Minister of Magic or some crazy shit." Sirius explained gravely.

"So they resigned instead of being fired?" Harry asked, understanding why they did it now.

"Yeah, that was the thought. Anyway, the fired list contains every Auror that has been competent in their job, and now most of them are forming an underground organization that will help the civilians and try to destroy the Death Eater forces. They are calling themselves 'The Protectors' for now. Yeah, cheesy, I know."

"So basically another organization like the Order?" Harry asked.

"Well, not exactly like the Order." Sirius said with a sly grin. "Dumbledore is pretty big on fighting with minimum violence, giving the enemy a second chance and all that shit. The Protectors think that if you have to deal with an enemy, you gotta make sure they never bother you again."

"So, it's open season on Death Eaters over there?"

"Yep. Only two rules: protect the innocent and destroy the enemy. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me." Harry nodded in agreement.

"I hope mum and dad won't be too disappointed to know that I would try to join these Protectors instead of the Order. They sound more useful already, no offence." Harry said, seriously thinking about trying to join as soon as school is over.

"Don't worry about it. James is already a member of both, and I will be leaving the Order soon to join them. Remus won't, though. That man has an unhealthy obsession about following Dumbledore's orders."

"Dad's joining? Does that mean he will leave Order as well?" Harry asked, not sure if Dumbledore would be too eager to let go of his father and his godfather.

"Not at the moment. There is nothing that says you can't be a part of another team when you are a member of the Order. Prongs will be meeting with Dumbledore today to see if the two groups could coordinate with each other, to avoid any on-site conflict, you know. Which reminds me, he might drop by and say hello to you. Anyway, if Dumbledore doesn't want to share, James will simply take a vow for each group to keep their secrets to himself and not divulge them to the other. If Dumbledore becomes too much problematic, James will leave the Order, but we are hoping that Dumbledore will cooperate, and to be honest, he might not have much choice, seeing that three prominent members are leaving the Order and if he doesn't cooperate, it will be four."

"Who else is leaving?" Harry asked, guessing that one would be his mum.

"Lily, of course." Sirius confirmed his thoughts. "And didn't I mention who is going to lead the Protectors?"

"You haven't, no."

"Mad-Eye Moody, who else?" Sirius said with a wide grin and Harry gaped.

_The war just got heated up real fast!_

**Ioioioioioioioioio**

James Potter and Mad-Eye Moody entered the headmaster's room together. There was no telling how this meeting would go, so they talked about all the possible outcomes on the way.

"James, Alastor. Take a seat." Albums gestured to the two squishy armchairs that appeared in front of the headmaster's desk. They took a seat, Mad-Eye with a grunt.

"What is this about? Have you found a new lead?" Albus asked eagerly. "Sorry to hear about your resignation, James." He added, giving the man a slight nod.

"It's okay. I was thinking about resigning anyway, Fudge ruining the ministry and what not." James answered.

"We are here to discuss some very important matters, Albus. And you should consider what we say very thoroughly before making any decisions." Moody said, getting to the point immediately. Albus nodded.

"Sounds serious. Would you like a drink?" he offered, already a bottle of gin and three glasses appearing.

"Aye. We might need something stronger later." Middy commented as he accepted the glass offered by Dumbledore and sniffed it carefully before taking a sip.

"I see. I will leave this here, then." Albus said, pointing to a bottle of firewhiskey that appeared in front of them. James gave a nod of approval.

"I'm leaving the Order." Moody declared after a hearty swig. Albus's glass stopped right before it reached his mouth as he stared at his old friend. With a forcibly steady hand, he put down his glass and glanced at James.

"I don't plan on leaving yet, but it may change depending on how you choose to handle things." He said, before vanishing his gin and pouring the firewhiskey on his glass. Albus looked at both of them for a while before speaking calmly.

"I see. And may I ask what brings on this... change?"

Mad-Eye looked at James and the younger man nodded. He explained the situation about the Protectors to Albus while Mad-Eye drank the firewhiskey.

"So Alastor is going to lead this new group?" Dumbledore asked for clarification and both men nodded. "Why not join the Order? Anyone who wants to oppose the dark side is welcome, you know that."

"It's not about the Order, Albus. It's your method." Moody said, his magical eye fixed on the headmaster along with his normal one. "Your policy of minimum violence and second chances are something I have always disagreed with, as I have told you numerous times. These people, the Protectors, they believe the same thing. How many Death Eaters have walked free because we let them go under your orders? Way too many! The Protectors don't believe in taking hostages in wartime, especially if the hostages are Death Eaters. They approached me to lead them, and I didn't take long to decide. With all respect to what you have achieved Albus, the Order is not going to win the war."

Dumbledore looked torn between being angry and pleading. "But if we don't give them a chance to redeem themselves, what sets us apart from them? We have a duty to give a chance to those who may realize the fault of their ways. Otherwise the light side and the dark side become the same type of people just fighting at opposite ends." Albus argued, unwilling to deny a chance of redemption to anyone.

"That is the sort of philosophy for a time of peace, headmaster. In war, you give your enemy a second chance, you die." James shot back, tired of Dumbledore's words of forgiveness and redemption.

"Listen Albus, every time you let a Death Eater go, they don't go and think about their life choices. They think about attacking someone else, and when that person suffers because of the Death Eater you let go, you are partly to blame for their suffering. You can't go and offer second chances to criminals and murderers and have innocent people suffer for that. That's called being passive when action is necessary, not redemption and all other shit you like to spew." Moody said firmly and Albus wanted to protest but James cut him off.

"Albus, we can show you every victim that has suffered because of your nonviolent policy, but I don't think you are capable of admitting that you are wrong. So let's call it a difference of opinion and move on to more important things."

Albus looked like he wanted to say something in his defence, but decided that these men were not old enough to understand why he was doing things the way he did, and nodded in defeat. Youth always seeks war, and they were no different.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, feeling his age once more.

"Potter here is going to be a member of both organizations, and since we are working towards the same goal with different methods, it would be beneficial for both organizations if there is a communication between the groups. We don't want to encounter conflicts in front of the enemy, and can hopefully help out each other. So he has volunteered to be a liaison between the two groups if you agree to it. We are not asking for full access to Order information or anything. Just heads up on important Intel and the likes. Of course we can be more, but I am willing to share just as much as you are." Moody explained, hoping that Dumbledore would be cooperative.

Albus wanted to say that he did not want to be affiliated with murderers, but knew that it would severely affect his relationship with one of his oldest friends and one of his favourite students.

"What if I refuse?" He asked.

"I would leave the Order." James said. "If we meet any members of the Order in the field, we would regard them as allies, but if they try to interfere in our operation, we treat them as hostiles."

Albus stayed silent for a long time, pondering this strange turn of events.

"Any other Order members I can expect to lose?" He asked tiredly.

"Lily, Sirius and Tonks so far. Kingsley will join us, but he wants to stay in the Order as well if you allow." James listed off.

"You have taken away all my skilled wands!" Dumbledore accused, frowning at the pair.

"That's the thing about good wands, Albus." Moody said, leaning in. "They demand to be used."

Albus hoped Mad-Eye didn't notice when his hand automatically clenched his own wand inside his pocket.

**Ioioioioioioioioio**

"Harry, there's a guy who looks exactly like you sitting in the stands." Dennis Creevey said in a whisper. Harry turned and said man waved at him.

"That's my dad. Ginny, run drills for a while. I'll go and have a quick chat with him."

Harry flew away towards the stands as Ginny blew the whistle and gently landed next to his father.

"Hey dad, what's up? Padfoot said that you might drop by." Harry greeted his father, propping the broom against the empty seat next to him.

"So you heard what happened?" James asked his son, who nodded. "Well Mad-Eye and I came to talk with Dumbledore. He needed some convincing, but he has agreed to keep communication between the groups for now. He said he may terminate this communication later if he finds our methods too disagreeable, but I think by that time the Order will not have enough members to really have an influence either way. The Protectors already got Mad-Eye, Tonks and Kingsley from the Order, though Kingsley wants to be at both the Order and the Protectors. Your mum and Padfoot will be joining as soon as recruiting starts. So the headmaster may not have much choice but to give in if he really wants to help."

Harry nodded. He could never understand how Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald with that mindset.

"You do know that I'll join the Protectors once I am done with school?" Harry said, hoping his father would not disagree.

"I expected no less. You are my son, after all." James said with a sad smile. He wished he could ask Harry to concentrate on his studies and career, but he couldn't. Both Lily and himself joined the fight a week after graduating. Hell, they fought in a battle together before they were even married. And his parents had not stopped him from fighting. And so he couldn't say no to Harry either, without appearing to be a hypocrite. This was one of the main reasons they didn't object to Harry getting training from Zhi from a young age. Of course, they wished that their child would be obsessed with quidditch and girls like every other teenager, and Harry was obsessed with both, but he had a bigger obsession. He wanted to seek revenge on the Death Eaters. Specifically, the Death Eaters that tortured his mother to a coma when he was one. James tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant. And at last they had accepted the fact that their son would either destroy those Death Eaters, or get destroyed in the process. And to be perfectly honest, if Harry didn't want them so bad, James would do it himself.

"Merlin, that boy is a horrible chaser!" James commented, pointing at Dean Thomas. Harry looked to see where his father was pointing and grimaced.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, he is all we have at the moment. Ginny is professional level and Demelza is alright, but I can't find a decent third chaser. The two reserves are both first years and don't have the temperament to play an actual match. Our main keeper is pretty shit as well, so I'm training the reserve for the next match." Harry explained.

"You know; it has been a long time since I played quidditch." James commented and Harry looked at him with a knowing grin.

"Come on, old man. Let's see if you can still move." Harry said, holding out his hand. Few moments later, a Nimbus 2000 came up to his hand, and he passed the broom to his father, who climbed on it.

"Who does this belong to?" James asked, knowing that all Harry's spare brooms were already in use.

"Take a guess." He said with a smirk. James groaned.

"Harry, how would you explain how you have Minerva's broom? You plan on returning it, don't you? I'm pretty sure she has tracking charms put on it."

"That's why you will be returning the broom, not me." Harry explained happily and James stared at him.

"You are adopted." He announced. Harry smirked.

"I look like your twin."

"It was a coincidence."

"Sure it was."

The two Potters bantered back and forth on their way to the middle of the pitch where the team was training. Harry signalled Ginny to join the drill.

"Damn! She's good." James commented as Harry shouted at Dean to pick up the pace.

"Yeah, she's the best hope for Gryffindor next year. If everything goes fine she should end up with the Harpies within a few years."

After a few minutes, Harry blew his whistle and called everyone to gather around.

"Okay everyone, this is my father James Potter. He was just passing by and I thought we could play a little five-A-team match since this old guy knows a bit about playing Chaser."

There was a cheer from the team. Drills were useful, everyone knew that. But actual games were the reason they all played in the first place.

"Okay, Ginny, you're the captain of red team. You will have Dean and Thomas as chasers with you, Ron as your keeper and Jimmy as the beater." The people whose names were called stood to one side and Harry waved his wand to make their practice kits Red.

"Dad, you're the captain of golden team. You'll get Demelza and Pete as your chasing partners, Denis as the keeper and Ritchie as the beater. I'll be the referee and we will play with one bludger. The first team to reach 200 wins." He waved his wand again to make the team's kits golden and the teams took their positions, James already talking with Demelza and Pete. Harry took the quaffle and floated the bludger in front of him. As the two teams were on position, he released the bludger first and then threw the quaffle to the air, moving away from the action.

The teams were quite evenly matched. James was a bit rusty, but everyone knew within three minutes that he could still go professional if he really wanted. Only Ginny could match his skill and intensity, mainly due to regular practice. Demelza was far better than Dean, and Thomas and Pete were evenly matched. Ritchie and Jimmy were opposite kinds of beaters, one specializing in predicting the path of a bludger and the other had an excellent aim with a bat. It was not very noticeable when they played together, but on opposite sides it was pretty transparent. Denis was alright, his small size working against him as Ginny liked to shoot to the far post, just beyond the reach of Denis. Ron, on the other hand was the definition of inconsistency as he made some spectacular saves but made blunders out of easy chances. After twenty minutes, the score was 80-90 in favour of the red team led by Ginny Weasley when Harry called a timeout.

He flew towards Denis first, the small boy looking nervous.

"Your reach isn't long enough." He stated as a fact, and Denis nodded. "So charge her when she starts her throw. Ask Ritchie to cover her passing lanes to Demelza when she shoots."

"The opponent keeper is nervous. We have to exploit that." James said, as he came up beside Harry, the rest of the team following him.

"Dean, your aim is good but your movement is sloppy. I'll recommend a decoy tactics. Ritchie, your interference is excellent, but aim some bludgers at the opposition as well. Ginny is moving to the same position way too often." Harry said before flying away towards the other team, as James took it from there.

Ginny was already talking to her team when Harry came up beside her.

"Ron, pull your head together, that last goal was just sloppy. Get your head in the game." Ginny was saying to her red faced brother, who looked like he would explode any minute.

"True. That was bad." Harry said, before quickly adding "but some of the saves you made were world class. Concentrate on those. Anyways, they know you are nervous and they will be exploiting it pretty soon. Ginny, you are becoming predictable. If Ritchie had the aim of Jimmy you would be in trouble. Demelza, you are doing great, but your positioning could be better after the final pass. It will allow Ginny to fake more shots and pass to you. Jimmy, you aim is on point, but you are not mobile enough. Move around more to cover more ground."

Once again, he flew away, and after another minute, he resumed play with a blow of his whistle. The players Harry commented on were already improving the aspects he talked about and Ron was making more saves than before. After being denied twice by the redhead, James suddenly decided to employ a tactic that was one of his favourites during school. As soon as Harry saw James move in a particular way, he knew Ron was fucked and Ron's eyes almost bulged out of his head when he saw that Denis had come up with the three chasers on a quick four man passing routine and Ritchie joined in too once he ensured the bludger was not close to any one in his team. James' team scored three goals in quick succession with that tactic before going back to normal. It was a high risk tactic because it essentially left your own post without any defence whatsoever. Ginny tried to reply with speeding up the wing and scoring through the far hoop, but she was surprised when Denis charged at her and saved the shots comfortably. Her team scored a few with Demelza coming up beside Ginny to receive a last moment pass after a fake shot, but Harry cheered when one attempt at that routine was diverted by a pinpoint bludger work from Ritchie, who hit the bludger directly at the quaffle, taking it out from Demelza's reach.

The game went on for nearly an hour before James and his team won 200-180 and Harry shared his observations and pointers for every individual player before dismissing them for the evening. Ginny stayed behind for a moment to talk to James, who gave her a lot of pointers on chasing before heartily complimenting her. She thanked him for the help and the game and left.

"That felt so good!" James exclaimed, as Ginny was out of earshot. Harry chuckled. He knew his father loved playing quidditch.

"You weren't that bad, old man." Harry said with a laugh and James laughed with him. He wished he could preserve these little moments before the war could threaten to take it all away.

"How's Daphne and Astoria?" he asked, flying towards the castle.

"They're alright. What's gonna happen to their property?" Harry enquired. James sighed.

"So far it's safe, but the lawyer suggested that she should sell it soon to avoid more troubles in the future. In fact, I think Daphne will get a letter from the guy within a couple of days. You could give her a heads up."

Harry nodded. He could do that when they went on their first training session tonight.

"So what's the new outside? Apart from the usual, I mean." Harry asked once he made sure no one was eavesdropping.

"Dumbledore agreed on me coordinating the Order and the Protectors on missions. He is upset that so many of us are leaving the Order, but that man is as stubborn as they come." James replied with a hint of frustration, walking towards the castle.

"Still convinced Death Eaters deserve second chances?" Harry asked with a scoff.

"Yes he does. And speaking of Death Eaters with a second chance-"

Severus Snape was coming out of the doors of the Great Hall and stopped cold seeing the pair. His face was twisted with hate and anger.

"Potter, what are you doing out of bounds at this time?" he asked with a sneer.

"Why Snape, I didn't know I had a bedtime." James replied casually, but his jaws were tight.

"Arrogant and self-centered as always, Potter. I was talking to your nuisance of a son." Snape spat.

James laughed humourlessly. "Pray to whatever Lord you serve that I don't see you in the field wearing your little uniform. We are not taking prisoners anymore these days."

Snape looked like he wanted to curse the older Potter to oblivion. "Why are you out of bounds Potter? Did you think that being a Head Boy exempt you from all rules? Or are you hoping that daddy will save you if you get into trouble?"

"I don't really see any reason you need to know about what I do in my free time." Harry answered, yawning lazily.

"Detention for the rest of the term Potter!" Snape shouted. Harry smiled.

"I will pay you a hundred galleons right now if you can tell me what law I am breaking." He replied challengingly. "Remember I have the power to review detentions and I have a witness present in case you want to play the your-word-against-mine card. Seriously, a hundred galleons right now." He finished, brandishing a copy of the Hogwarts rule book in front of the Potions master.

"Do you have a hundred galleons on you right now?" James asked curiously.

"Why would I have a hundred galleons on me right now?" Harry asked back, bewildered. James smiled proudly.

"Enough!" Snape shouted, pulling out his wand, his eyes burning with hatred, but before he could bring the wand up, a wand was pointed at his heart.

"I swear Snivellus, just give me a fucking reason." James said in a quiet whisper, wearing a maniacal expression. "I dare you, you fucking prick. Just fucking sneeze at my son, I will rip out your heart and force-feed it to you."

Snape slowly lowered his wand and put them back in his pocket. A little wariness clouding his hateful face.

"Good. Walk away now. And hope Dumbledore will always be there to save your pathetic hide."

Snape ignored the words and started to walk towards the school's main entrance. Suddenly James yanked the man back by his robes.

"There is a very interesting piece of information that I learned recently. Care to take a guess at what it was?" James whispered very softly, careful to be out of Harry's earshot.

"Fuck off, Potter." Snape hissed, trying to push him away, but the other man would not let go.

"I learned the name of the man who caused your master to come after us." James's voice was soft as the wind. "I learned the name of the man who conveyed the prophecy to Voldemort. Do you want to know the name of the man who was responsible for my wife being brain dead for over a decade? Do you want to know the man responsible for the death of Frank and Alice Longbottom? Do you?"

Severus Snape had always hated James Potter and was always wary of the man. But never before was he truly afraid of the man. He could see the intent of vengeance on his eyes radiating like the sun. Severus Snape was white as a sheet as his ears involuntarily strained to pick up the name he knew very well.

"It was you, Snivellus."

* * *

_A/N: __Don't forget to leave a review to get me and my beta **slucas123** all motivated, because the next chapter's gonna be big._


	14. Change

_A/N: So, I'm back! I haven't had the time to respond to the reviews of last chapter yet, (I will soon, promise) but I wanted to post this one as soon as I could. Also, next chapter would probably be posted next Tuesday._

**14\. Change**

"What place is this anyway? I wanted to ask you earlier, but somehow I forgot about it." Daphne asked, as she walked beside Harry, wearing some fitting sportswear Harry had gone and got for her from a muggle shop somewhere. She had to admit, they felt wonderfully free and comfortable, although a bit cold pre-workout.

"It's called the Room of Requirement. Not a lot of people know about this because usually it's not there, but if you know about it, you can command the room to be anything you wish. All you gotta do is walk past it three times, thinking of what you need." Harry explained and Daphne gasped.

"Wait! I have been to this room before." She exclaimed and Harry looked at her questioningly. "There was this one time I had to get away after… Oh well, after dropping a barrel of maggots on you" she smirked at Harry's glare, "and I had to hide from Filtch. I went to this dead end corridor and was running frantically when this huge door appeared and without thinking I went in to this room with lots of places to hide and when I came back later I couldn't find the room and thought I had been to a different part of the castle before."

"Yeah, the room is tricky like that. I discovered it in my second year, hiding from Snape. Nowadays, I use it mainly as a training room. You can also use it as your gym when you start your workout." He said, stopping in front of the blank wall and walking three times with closed eyes.

Daphne looked amazed as a large wooden door appeared in front of them. "After you." Harry said and Daphne went inside.

The room was huge, a large mat in the centre and what seemed like a weapon rack with swords, staffs and knives stacked in a wall and a door to what seemed like a shower/changing room on another wall.

Harry was already stepping on the mat and Daphne followed him. He started to stretch a little and gestured her to follow him, which she did. They warmed up for a few minutes before Harry stopped.

"Alright, so let's see how good your aim is." Harry said, as a wooden cut out of a human silhouette appeared in the middle of the mat, appearing to hold a wand. "Go to the end of the mat and cast the disarming charm five times."

She did as she was asked, and she managed to dispossess the wooden dummy four times. Harry moved towards her and gave her a critical look, which made her feel a little self-conscious.

"You are holding your wand too tight. Loosen up your grip or it will take up too much energy. Also, you don't have to lock your elbows when casting a spell. You lose mobility if you do that. Try again, and faster this time."

Daphne did, keeping the tips in her mind and this time she hit the target five times.

"Now cast as fast as you would if you were under attack." Harry said, standing directly behind her so she wouldn't be distracted by him. Daphne cast five times in quick successions and was irritated when only three hit the target.

"Keep going until you hit five in a row." He instructed. She cast for five minutes before she achieved that but Harry shook his head.

"That wasn't fast enough. Go again."

"How fast can I go without losing accuracy?" Daphne complained. Harry looked at the dummy, which suddenly multiplied to five dummies, spread around over an area and he brought his wand up slowly. Daphne saw his hand moving in a blur for a second before she realized he had disarmed all five within a second. The four extra dummies vanished.

"That fast, at least." He replied before moving back to the spot behind her and she gulped. She thought she was pretty proficient with a wand, but her illusions just got shattered. "The trick is," Harry spoke from behind her, "not to treat it as five different spells but as five parts of one spell. You take a deep breath and fire all shots before breathing again. Sometimes holding your breath in helps with aim in practice."

It was after ten minutes of casting that Harry called her to stop. Her speed was improving slightly and she was hitting most of the targets, but she was still nowhere near what he showed earlier.

"It will take time. Don't worry, we'll get you there." Harry said as he came back into view. The dummy became mobile and moved in what seemed like an elliptical path.

"Standing in a spot while casting is a shortcut way to get yourself cursed or killed. Fortunately, the new Death Eaters usually don't realize that until they get hit by a few curses. The Inner Circle are smarter, though. What you will be doing now is moving around and try to hit a moving target." He said, as a number of small walls, boxes and barrels appeared in front of Daphne. "Let me demonstrate."

Harry covered behind a wall and fired a stunner at the dummy's head, quickly moved behind a pair of barrels and fired another one before rolling to another cover and repeating. Needless to say, he hit the dummy's head every time.

"Think you can manage it?" he asked and Daphne nodded. It would be physically taxing, but she could do it. "Good, because I'm gonna go to this other room and do my own training for a while. Just shout out if you are exhausted. If you hit five times in a row, I'll come back. If you need me for something just call out for me. Okay?"

"Can I watch you?" she asked, as he walked towards a door that was not there when she started. He smiled.

"Maybe later." And with that, he disappeared through the door. For a moment, Daphne wondered what type of training Harry was doing before she told herself that she should concentrate on her training instead.

She hit the target five times in a row after almost an hour and she was absolutely exhausted. She tried to hit twice from the same spot, but a shield appeared in front of the dummy on the second shot and she knew there was no cheating allowed.

She laid down in the ground, panting for breath when Harry came back and sat down beside her.

"You look a bit tired." He commented lightly as she gave a tired laugh.

"I could kill for a pizza right now." She said. Seeing the look on his face she immediately added, "And no, we are not going to muggle London at this time." She smirked as Harry pouted.

"Alright, no muggle London. Are you up for some kitchen adventure though?" Harry asked, a glint in his eyes. With a sigh, Daphne propped her upper body on her elbows.

"What kind of adventure?"

"I was thinking of making a pizza."

Few minutes later, Harry and Daphne reached the portrait of the fruit bowl.

"Mimsy? Hi there. I have a proposition for you and your friends." He said to the elf and other elves within earshot perked up and looked at him.

"A proposition, Master Harry?" Mimsy asked in confusion. Usually the young master asked for food and elves loved him because he treated them very well.

"Yes. You let me cook in the kitchen." Harry said and the elves all protested in unison. He raised a hand at them and they went quiet. "In exchange, I will show you how to make pizza. Does anyone know how to make pizza? No? Well it's an Italian food that most people love, including me and my fellow Head Girl over here. So to sum up, I cook, you watch and listen and learn to make a new dish. Do we have a deal?"

The elves talked furiously among themselves for a few moments before Mimsy spoke on their behalf.

"Will master let us help him while he cooks?" she asked.

"Sure, no problem, but Daphne will be helping as well." He bargained. The elves looked at each other before Mimsy nodded.

"We have a deal, young master. What do you need?"

"First of all, who knows what a pepperoni is?" Harry asked.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

Daphne continued her training under Harry's supervision for a few weeks and she also started light workouts in the morning after a short jogging period. At first, she felt tired all day with all the activity, but as Harry promised, she got used to it within a month. Every training session was getting a little harder for Daphne but she had managed to keep up so far, and she had a feeling that Harry knew exactly how much she could manage.

She hardly saw Harry's training though. After her own training, she was usually too tired for anything else. The only few times she actually managed to see him training had left her flabbergasted. Harry had explained to her that he always practiced dodging at last, so he had a chance to recover his strained magic caused by the first part of his training. When she saw him dodging, however, she could not believe her eyes. Spells were coming at him from every direction, including elevated heights, and they came at a rate that her eyes could not keep up with. Harry was dodging almost every one of them, seeming to know exactly where the curses were coming from even before it was cast. Harry admitted that this part of his training was very physically taxing, and usually led to all his injuries that he often showed up with. He also promised her that he would bring her to his level if she was dedicated enough. Daphne knew that it was near to impossible to reach that level for her before a few years, but she would be happy to be close.

She had received a letter from the lawyer Sirius had appointed for her. He strongly advised her to sell the current property as her distant relatives could claim it again, and told him she needed a little time to think about it.

She did not have too much attachment to the place despite living there all her life there. She asked Astoria and she didn't have a problem with it either. However, it was their only property that was not rented. Selling it would mean they had nowhere to live. Her parents didn't have a will, which allowed the vulture relatives to have a claim on it. However, if she sold the property, there would be no such claim. But at the same time, it would also leave them without an address, either. She could live in a flat somewhere on her own, but she didn't want Astoria to grow up without a proper home.

As the year progressed, the loads of NEWTs and Head duties were increasing exponentially. With the war outside making everyone jittery, along with the pressure of studies, fights were breaking out in halls more often than not, and a few times it involved the prefects themselves. A fifth year Hufflepuff prefect had been relieved of her prefect duties when she punched the daylight out of a Ravenclaw fourth year boy who 'accidentally' put her notes on fire. If not for Susan Bones interrupting them in time, things could have turned ugly real fast. Daphne and Harry had several meetings with the prefects stressing them to keep their cool and act as the peacemaker in any kind of confrontation.

Daphne had finally managed to finish the paper that she was working on. Professor Flitwick was, to say the least, mightily impressed.

"This is a fantastic paper, Miss Greengrass. Very well done, indeed." The diminutive professor squeaked. Daphne gave him a grateful smile.

"Thanks, professor. But I must admit I had some help."

"Indeed? Care to explain?" he asked curiously. Daphne nodded.

"I had several interviews with a private researcher who has extensive knowledge on this field." She started, but paused when she noticed that Flitwick was grinning.

"So you asked for help from your fellow Head Boy's mother?" he asked with a large smile. Daphne's eyebrows rose.

"Yes sir, I did. But how did you know?" she asked curiously. Flitwick laughed happily.

"Lily Evans was one of the brightest students I had the privilege of teaching. When I read your paper, I thought I saw a hint of Lily's knowledge and understanding, but I dismissed it as a coincidence."

"Then you know it is not all my own work, really." Daphne said, her eyes downcast. The professor sighed.

"Miss Greengrass, no one writes a paper without help. That is one of the main objectives of writing a paper in the first place. To gather knowledge from different sources, study and understand them, and eventually come to your own conclusions from it. Yes, Lily has given you a significant amount of knowledge and insight that you would be hard pressed to find otherwise, but where did you think she got all that from? She is a muggleborn witch, so she certainly did not get it from her parents. She had a remarkable thirst for knowledge that I see in you as well. I can see that you have consulted many sources and drew your own conclusions in most of the cases, so yes, Lily did help you, but it is still your paper and a wonderful one at that."

Daphne beamed at the Charms Professor. Although she knew that she had presented a good paper, she was afraid that with Lily helping her so much with the paper, Flitwick might consider it cheating. She was pleasantly surprised to see otherwise.

"Thank you, Professor. It wouldn't have been possible without your guidance and encouragement." She smiled at Flitwick, and he grinned at her.

"The pleasure was mine. In fact, if you still wish for that Masters, I would be glad to supervise you. I haven't supervised a keen and smart student like you in decades." He praised again, and she blushed a little.

"Umm… thank you, sir. But do I have to join right away? I am very much interested, but frankly I don't even know where I'm going to live next summer, so it is a bit difficult for me to choose right now." She confessed.

"No need to worry, Miss Greengrass." The Professor assured her. "The Masters program can be taken any time, but it is recommended to start within five years of graduating from school. You can delay it further if you want, but you have to sit for a series of tests and submit another paper for that. You can join whenever you have things under your control. My offer for supervision stands for as long as I am here."

"Are you planning on retiring soon, sir?" she asked curiously. Flitwick chuckled.

"Not at the moment, but with what's going on outside, who knows what could happen?" he said with a sigh, but then smiled. "However, if the person I recommended as my successor ends up in my position, I think you have nothing to worry about."

"Who is it, Professor?" Daphne asked apprehensively.

"Oh, you cannot tell her this, but I have made it clear to the Headmaster and everyone in the authorities that when I step down or otherwise leave the post open, I would like Lily Potter to take my place." He said with a grin.

"That would be brilliant professor!" Daphne exclaimed.

"Indeed. Lily has hinted that she would like to succeed me a few times, but I have always pretended to not have heard. I can think of no one else more fit for this job. But please, don't tell her. I want it to be a surprise for her, whenever it is."

"My lips are sealed, Professor." Daphne said with a grin, mimicking closing a zipper over her mouth.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

"Horcruxes? No, does not ring a bell." Harry admitted, trying to recall if he ever heard of the term. "What is it?"

Neville sighed. He was not really surprised, to be completely honest. "It is an object that stores a piece of your soul. You have to commit an act so evil that tears your soul into two and then store one in a horcrux."

Harry was frowning. "What kind of act would split your soul?"

Neville shrugged. "Dumbledore says it's murder."

"But people murder each other all the time. Why aren't their souls split?" Harry asked, a bit disturbed.

"From what I understood, just killing a person is not enough to split your soul. Your intent matters. Killing in battlefield, self-defence or even accidentally will not damage your soul too much. But if you deliberately murder someone who has done no harm to you just for the sake of it, that can tear your soul. And then, if you want, you can store that torn piece inside a horcrux." Neville explained.

"So Voldemort has a horcrux?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer. Neville smiled ruefully.

"I wish. From what Dumbledore could guess, he had a particular fondness of the number seven."

"So he has seven horcruxes?" Harry asked, eyebrows raised.

"That is our guess. Dumbledore knows where some of them are. You don't seem as disturbed as I was when I learned of this." Neville commented. Harry shrugged.

"I am disgusted, but if you think of it, is it really that surprising?" Harry asked. "I mean having seven horcruxes means he murdered at least seven people in cold blood. For anyone else that is too much, but can you really say that about Voldemort? Considering what he's done so far, seven murders is not a remarkable act in his standards, is it?"

"When you put it like that, I guess it does make sense." Neville admitted. "I mean he could have created three horcruxes in one day if he managed to finish me off when I was a baby. It's not very hard to see that he could easily go for twenties if he really wanted to, maybe even hundreds."

"I'm not complaining that he is not more ambitious, but why didn't he go for more than seven?" Harry asked. Neville looked a bit green.

"From what we understand, splitting your soul makes you unstable. So creating more than seven could permanently damage your magical core. You could explode, or become a muggle." He explained.

"I bet Voldemort would rather explode than become a muggle." Harry muttered darkly and Neville nodded.

"Can I let you in a secret? You cannot tell anybody about it. Not even Daphne or Ginny."

"Sure, Nev." Harry replied without hesitation. Neville looked very uncomfortable, and Harry knew his best friend would not trust anyone else so easily.

"Remember the shady diary Ginny showed us in second year?" Neville asked and Harry nodded.

"Yes, the one we handed over to Dumbledore because it was too suspicious." He recalled. Neville sighed.

"Apparently that's a horcrux."

Harry stared at him in shocked silence for a moment.

"And Ginny doesn't know it?" he whispered. Neville shook his head solemnly.

"I am not sure how she would take it if she knew, so I would rather keep it to myself for the moment." Neville said almost pleadingly.

"Of course, Nev. If that's what you want, I won't tell her about it." Harry promised and Neville breathed in relief. He knew he was acting a bit hypocritical, keeping information from Ginny just like people liked to keep information from him, but he was not ready to tell her. Yet.

"Who else knows about this?" Harry asked, breaking Neville's train of thought.

"Just you, me and Dumbledore, I think. He hasn't told anyone else about the horcruxes either."

"But surely that would be useful?" Harry asked dubiously. "No offence Nev, but I think there are a ton of other people Dumbledore must trust who can help his horcrux problem."

"None taken." Neville waved a hand. "I don't know, but he insists on keeping this a secret because it could be a dangerous information to be in the wrong hands."

Harry shrugged, still dubious. He had nothing but respect for Albus Dumbledore, but whenever he heard about his shenanigans from Neville, he seemed like a completely different person altogether. It was eerily similar to Daphne in a twisted way. Instead of a mask of cold indifference to the world, Dumbledore seemed to wear a mask of merrily eccentric teacher.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

Harry had worked hard on the quidditch team and had managed to produce a decent keeper out of Denis Creevy. Obviously, Ron was not happy about it, but Harry didn't really care as long as his team was performing. He played Denis in the match against Hufflepuff and he gave an inspiring performance, saving 18 shots out of 22 and it certainly looked like Ron had played his last match against Slytherin because there was no way he would be selected for the last match against Ravenclaw. After the match, Harry had a talk with McGonagall and a few days after the match, he called the whole team on the pitch.

"Next match is ages away, what's with the sudden training?" Dean Thomas asked once everyone gathered around.

"We are not practicing today. At least I don't think we are. We are here for something else altogether." Harry said, looking at each of them in the eye. "I have been the captain of this team for more than two years, and I will say this: it was an honour to share the locker room with you guys. However, I think it's time for me to step down. So I would like you all to welcome your new captain, Ginny Weasley."

There was a loud applause and cheering from everyone while Ginny covered her mouth in shock. Everyone clapped her in the shoulders and Demelza hugged her. Harry took off his captain's badge from his robes and handed them to her and she wrapped him in a hug, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you Harry." She whispered, letting him go and he beamed.

"You deserved it."

The Gryffindor common room held another party in honour of their new quidditch captain and a farewell to their old, and most successful captain. Of course, he was still going to play the last match for Gryffindor as a seeker, but it didn't stop his fellow lions from having another excuse for the party.

Ginny sent out a notice for another seeker trial in the first week of her captaincy, and after selecting two girls who were not half bad, she asked Harry to train them to perfection. Harry gladly complied, preparing the two girls, Emma and Bonnie, just like Viktor Krum prepared him. He was fairly certain that he was leaving the team in good hands as he saw the spirit of both girls during training. Ginny was going to have a tough time selecting one seeker for the spot; both of them were going to be equally fantastic by next year.

On the outside, the Protectors were employing guerrilla warfare tactics on Death Eaters, and they took the Death Eaters' tactics of installing fear and used in on them. Captured Death Eaters were relieved of all information and depending on their crime, they were either kept as prisoners (mainly the new recruits, kids with no idea what they had gotten into) or disposed of (murderers, torturers and rapists). The houses of the Death Eaters bore the mark of protectors just like the Dark Mark above a victim's house. It was a red shield with two wands crossed in the middle. The tactic had worked like a charm and attacks had come down significantly. They had people in the muggle police system, alerting them if a muggle village/town was attacked and the muggles called the emergency hotline. A number of Order members went to join the Protectors, and Dumbledore was left with mostly his old supporters and people who owed him something. Remus and James was the only competent wand he had left and James didn't even attend all the Order meetings.

The ministry was getting worse, as Voldemort switched his focus from attacking muggles and muggleborns to taking the ministry from within. All the departments were headed by Death Eaters and they were infiltrating the Wizengamot as well. Muggleborn, halfbloods and so called 'blood traitors' received harsh punishments for small offences while the Death Eater sympathizers were rarely even called for a trial.

The war outside was getting more complicated and twisted every day.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

Easter holidays were quickly approaching and Harry was collecting the list of people going home for the holidays when he noticed that both Daphne and Astoria were staying.

"How come you're staying in the holiday? I thought you don't like to stay during holidays?" he asked her during their morning workout on the week before the holidays started.

"Harry you do realize that my parents are dead and I have nowhere to go to, right?" she said incredulously.

Harry stopped his workout and stared at her. Daphne paused too.

"Do you really think that?" he asked quietly and Daphne was surprised.

"What's there to think of Harry? I don't have any relatives that I care about and although we do have a home, there's no point in just the two of us staying over in an empty house." She answered but Harry shook her head. He quickly pulled out his mirror and talked in a hushed voice to it and after a while, he pushed the mirror towards Daphne. It was Lily Potter.

"Hi, Lily." Daphne greeted, knowing that it would please the other woman, who always insisted on them calling her by her first name instead of Mrs. Potter. The woman in the mirror, however, did not look pleased.

"Daphne if you think for a moment that we would let you stay alone in the holiday break you are completely wrong. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you are a part of our family, no matter what. I mean what did you plan to do after you graduate? Go and live with Astoria alone?"

Daphne was speechless for a moment as she registered the words.

"Thank you, Lily. It means a lot to me." She replied with a shaky voice.

"Oh stop it, darling. You know how much we love you and Astoria. Why did you ever think that you are without a home? We can't replace your parents in any way, but we can be your family if you'll have us." Lily replied. Daphne had tears in her eyes. She didn't know why this wonderful family was so kind to them, but she couldn't break their heart and refuse and neither did she want to.

"Of course we'll have you Lily. We'll come home with Harry, don't worry."

"That's what I like to hear. See you soon." Lily smiled before the connection went off.

"Still think you have no family?" Harry asked with a smirk and she pulled him to a hug, surprising him.

"Thank you, Harry. Thank you for being who you are."

"No problem blondie." Harry said, rubbing her head that was resting on his shoulders.

"Found any new blonde jokes that are good?" she asked, as she let him go.

"I knew you liked them!" Harry cried out.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioi**

The train journey to King's Cross was uneventful. The number of students going back for the holidays were significantly lower than the Christmas break, the workload getting to them. Being quite brilliant, smart and organized, both Harry and Daphne had their workload under control, including their duties as Head students. Of course, with Harry giving up the Quidditch captainship and Daphne being done with her paper, they both had more free-time than before, which definitely helped.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled up in the King's Cross station and Harry and Daphne checked all the compartments before the train returned, they found Lily and James Potter talking to Astoria.

"Anyone else feeling hungry?" Harry asked, as he hugged his mother and patted his father's arm.

"Hi Mr. Potter. Hello Lily." Daphne said as Lily pulled her into a hug.

"What do I have to do to make you call be James?" the older man asked, loading all their trunks on a trolley.

"Wait for me to get used to it, I guess." Daphne replied cheekily and James laughed. He pushed the trolley out of the wall that led to Platform nine and three quarters. The family chatted all the way up to the car, where Harry asked if he could drive and James refused to destroy his beloved car by allowing Harry to drive it in a street.

The car journey took a while, even with magic helping them to travel very fast.

"Why are we taking a car?" Astoria asked, wondering what's wrong with magical travel.

"Floo network is being watched and I don't want to show my face there. And our house is under a Fidelius Charm now, which means you, Harry or Daphne can't apparate inside, and Godric's Hollow is not a totally magical neighbourhood, so apparating outside is not a good idea either." James explained.

"Really dad?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes.

"Alright, it might also be because I love to drive the car." James admitted and everyone laughed at his pout.

The ride home was nice, as they talked about school and quidditch. James was delighted to find that Astoria wanted to be a Chaser for Slytherin. He looked almost betrayed when Daphne admitted that she didn't care much for quidditch and flying. Harry had a feeling on what Astoria would be getting for her next birthday. Which made him realize that he didn't know when either of their birthdays were. Astoria shyly admitted that her birthday was a week away and Lily immediately started interrogating her on what type of food she liked and what flavour of cake she preferred and such. Daphne's birthday was mid-August, just a few days after Harry.

As they reached their destination, James gave them each a piece of parchment and asked them to memorize it.

_The Potter Cottage is located in 7, Church Street, Godric's Hollow._

As their cottage appeared, Harry noticed that it looked different. Looking carefully, he noticed that it appeared larger because the house was extended quite a bit. Looked like his parents have been busy.

Daphne and Astoria either didn't notice the change (to be fair, Astoria was here for barely a whole day and Daphne had only spent a week here, and both were distressed and had other things to worry about) or they did not comment on it.

"You added rooms for the girls?" Harry asked James, out of earshot from the others.

"Yeah, and there's also a new, larger room downstairs that we added. I was thinking about making it the meeting room for the Protectors, but they acquired another house with plenty of facilities, apparently one of them had a lot of money with no one to spend on, and so we have an empty room with no purpose yet. Lily was thinking about setting up a potions lab or something similar. I guess we could ask the girls if they have any preferences."

Harry nodded. He thought about making a training room, but he knew that the house couldn't survive his training anyway.

He picked up Melanie as he spotted her, and blew a raspberry in her stomach, causing her to giggle. The little girl was pretty happy about seeing her brother again, which made Astoria and Daphne swoon at how cute she was.

Lily took them upstairs and showed the girls their rooms. The room that used to be a nursery was Melanie's, and beside that used Harry's room, separated by the two toilets that were accessible from inside the rooms. However, two rooms were added between them and Astoria now had the room next to Melanie, and Daphne had the one after that. Harry was sent to the far end of the corridor. There was a library on the other side of the corridor where all the bedrooms were, and an open terrace. James and Lily's room was downstairs, along with the study, kitchen, living room, guest room and the new, empty room. Daphne had lived in the guest room last time she was here. Astoria was given Harry's room for the one night she stayed.

"Were these rooms here last time I was here?" Astoria asked. Daphne had never climbed upstairs.

"No, they're new. I have left the rooms undecorated for now." Lily said, sending the trunks to their respective rooms. "I didn't know if you wanted to keep the furniture and accessories from your house or you wanted to start everything from the start. Either way, we will drop by your house tomorrow morning and then do some shopping. How does that sound?"

Both girls agreed to it, thanking Lily heavily. Daphne decided that she would keep her most of her old things and Astoria said that she would change some things. Lily smiled and asked them to freshen up before dinner.

Once they all came down in the living room, they found Sirius talking with James. He brightened as he saw them.

"Oh you guys are here! Did you have to bring Harry with you, though? He kinda sucks." He said, ducking the rubber ball Harry threw at him.

"Dad there's a mutt on the couch. Shouldn't we neuter him?" Harry replied easily, punching his godfather's arm as he sat down beside him. Daphne and Astoria said hello, enjoying the banter between him and Harry, although not understanding them completely.

"Mr. Black, I wanted to-" Daphne started but Sirius cut him off.

"If you are talking to me, you should know that I don't answer to Mr Black. Call me Sirius or Padfoot. Although I enjoy making old bums in the Wizengamot call me Lord Black." He winked at Astoria, who giggled.

"Alright Sirius, I wanted to say that I really appreciate you helping me with the property and hiring Mr. Banner. I didn't get a chance to do it last time I was here." Daphne said earnestly.

"Don't worry about it." Sirius said, waving his hand. "He owed me a favour and I called him on it. Although that reminds me, did you make a decision? He mentioned that the holidays are a good time to get a client for a property easily."

Before Daphne could reply, Harry interrupted. "Hey Padfoot, why can't you buy the property and then sell it back to her? Shouldn't the claims vanish then?"

"Magical law doesn't work that way, Harry." James explained as Sirius nodded. "As long as a Greengrass owns the property, the claim would be present." Harry slumped back to his seat.

"It's okay. I have decided to sell it. I'll write to Mr. Banner by tonight." Daphne said but Sirius shook his head.

"No need. I hear you are going to the house tomorrow? I'll ask him to join you there to discuss everything properly."

The group chatted for a while before Lily called them to eat. They had a wonderful dinner of Wellington beef and Daphne later volunteered to help Lily with the dishes. Astoria happily played with Melanie for a while and Harry smiled as they already seemed to be a real family.

After dinner, Sirius suggested that they played poker and Lily refused to let anyone take money from Daphne and Astoria on their first day. Harry suggested that they play without the actual money, but with the stipulation that two losers would have to buy drinks for everyone and everyone agreed to that. James brought out his box of poker chips and cards that he got from a muggle shop.

Sirius taught Astoria the rules as Lily distributed the chips evenly among them. Daphne already knew the rules but was listening to Sirius all the same. Harry and James tried to show off their card tricks which amused everyone seeing that neither of them knew any card tricks. As the chips were distributed, Lily went to put Melanie to bed and Harry summoned a few bags of potato chips from the kitchen before starting.

Without the real money, it wasn't as exciting as it could be, but they all enjoyed it. Although Harry and Astoria knew it very well, the other adults were absolutely stumped by Daphne's poker face. One time, Sirius stared at her for two whole minutes to see any change in expression, but she looked back at him with that famous mask of hers on her face until Sirius cried out in frustration. It was almost midnight when Lily called it a night, though Sirius accused her of sabotaging because she was on a losing streak. In the end, Sirius and James were the bottom two and they promised to buy dinner within that week.

The next day, the mood was a bit sombre as the family visited the Greengrass residence. Harry had asked James if the Potters could buy it, but James admitted that with the war coming, they needed the money since James didn't have a job anymore. They could live easily for nearly a decade with what they had, but buying a property this large would cost a lot and James didn't want to take advantage of the girls by paying anything less than what was fair, and there was no telling about how long the war would take to settle down. He was already thinking of taking out a large amount of gold from Gringotts and store it outside in case the goblins side with the dark side. Harry suggested that they put two thirds in Swedish banks, run by the dwarves and store half of what remained in a safe somewhere close and keep the rest in Gringotts to avoid the attention that closing such an old vault would cause. James liked the idea and said that they might even try and claim the Peverell vaults as well, seeing that no other descendants of the old family had surfaced anywhere.

Lily had charmed two trunks to expand infinitely to store everything they wanted to take. James, Lily and Harry waited outside as Daphne and Astoria went to secure valuables first. Apparently, the Greengrass family was pretty rich (doing steady business during both war and peace had its perks), more than the Potters (not counting the Peverell vault yet as they didn't know what was in there) but not as much as the Malfoys or the Blacks.

Daphne came back after a while and asked Harry to come and help her with moving some stuff. Astoria was already gathering the things she wanted to take from here. They would obviously leave the basic furniture like the bed, dressing table and wardrobes because the Potters already furnished their room with those.

"Do you really need help?" Harry asked casually as they went up the stairs towards her room. Astoria was rummaging through her drawers.

"No, not really." Daphne admitted. Harry didn't say anything, quietly walking beside her and entering her room. It had a simple elegance to it. "It just feels a bit… strange to come back here and knowing that I will probably never come back here. I was never that fond of this place, but I spent all my life calling this my home and now… it's not anymore."

Harry reached out for her hand and gently squeezed it. She smiled at him and looked around the room, her fingers still intertwined with his.

"Daphne?" he called quietly and she looked at him. "Is that porn?"

Harry was pointing at a magazine peeking out from her dressing table with a very transparent lingerie-clad woman on the cover. Daphne laughed.

"No, you pervert. It's a catalogue for lingerie." She explained, swatting his arms.

"Sounds like porn to me." He replied, rubbing his wrong arm to rile her up, but she laughed instead of taking the bait.

_She was beautiful when she laughed._ A voice inside him thought, and he was surprised. Since when Daphne was _beautiful_?

"Sounds like you need to pull your head out of the gutter." She said with a playful smile, dumping her clothes to the second trunk that would store their regular things. She didn't know how Harry always managed to cheer her up whenever she was down. But she was sure glad that he did.

With a little help from Harry, the packing of her room was over very quickly. They went on and helped Astoria as well. They already took everything they wanted from their parents' room before, so next stop was the library. It was just a little smaller than the Potter's library which was pretty large for a private residence. Harry quickly compressed the whole library to a box and handed it to Daphne to save time. Daphne announced that they were done, and the trio went back downstairs, where James was talking with Mr. Banner, who appeared to have arrived a few minutes back.

Daphne listed off everything that she wanted to sell with the house, including most furniture and fittings. Banner said that he already had a few prospective clients interested in the property and would inform Daphne as soon as he got a good offer. He inquired if they had a house elf and Daphne said that the one they had passed away and they hadn't gotten a new one after that as the previous one had no children.

Banner left after a few minutes and Daphne suggested that they go back to the Potter Cottage and see what they actually need before shopping and everyone agreed. Back in the Cottage, Harry helped the girls unpack and decorate their new rooms. Lily and James worked to expand the library space to fit the whole Greengrass library alongside their books. Everyone was tired and Harry and James volunteered to go and get Chinese takeaway instead of making Lily cook. As the boys were gone, Lily introduced Daphne and Astoria to the muggle appliances that filled the house. The two girls were amazed at how muggles had appliances to do almost everything wizards used magic for. Lily explained that magic lacked the finesse that muggle appliances offered on most things. Of course, they still used magic a lot, but the muggle appliances were a big part in their lives. Lily admitted that she had to train James for nearly a year till he got used to all the stuff they used. Daphne and Astoria knew that it would take some time getting used to it, but it sounded like fun. Astoria, who was the one with interest in cooking out of the two sisters, was amazed to learn how muggles had a machine for everything she could imagine and much more. Even Daphne was surprised to see that muggles had a machine to make toast.

After a lunch of Chinese food, they went to Diagon Alley, Melanie replacing James, who had a meeting to attend (for the Protectors). Daphne had to visit Gringotts and the rest decided to wait in Florean Frotescue's Ice Cream shop while she did whatever she needed to do. They enjoyed the spring sun while having sundaes. Daphne took some time getting back, and had a chocolate chip ice cream to go. Astoria stage whispered that Daphne was a closet chocolate lover but didn't like to admit it because it would make her seem less cool. Daphne mock glared at her but ruffled her hair to show that she wasn't really mad. Melanie was once again up on Harry's shoulders, which was her favourite way to move around by far. After getting a few potion items from the apothecary, Daphne asked Lily if she could shop in muggle London. Lily looked like she was about to cry with happiness.

"Can I go home with Mel?" Harry asked desperately.

"No." Lily and Daphne replied in unison and Harry groaned, making Astoria laugh.

So Harry decided to walk around with Melanie while the girls shopped. Apparently Daphne had converted a large amount of Galleons to muggle pounds and she intended to make good use of it for her and Astoria.

The Potter siblings walked aimlessly around muggle London, and Harry got a few comics that Melanie liked and bought a few of his favourite muggle candies. He tried to browse some bookstores, but Mel got bored of them easily. They sat around in a park for a while and Melanie actually fell asleep during that, so Harry had to put a soft silencing charm and a cushioning charm around to not wake her up as he carried her. It was over two hours that Lily called him to say that they were nearly finished. Harry reached in time to see them approaching the counter, three young men carrying the huge stack of packets and boxes they brought from that shop. Lily was arguing about something with Daphne, who looked unmoved. Coming close, he gathered that Lily had bought some stuff as well and Daphne wasn't letting her pay for that, insisting that they were a gift from her. Lily argued for a while, but gave up when she saw that the girl wouldn't be moved. Astoria, who absolutely adored Melanie, volunteered to carry the little girl for a while and Harry agreed readily, his shoulders and arms a little stiff. Lily pointed out that Melanie was perfectly capable of walking herself, but Harry just grinned in reply.

James still was not home when they returned, and tired from either shopping or carrying Melanie (in Harry's case), they didn't feel like doing anything major for the rest of the day. The girls went to put away their shopping and Lily went to the library with a cup of coffee. Harry helped the girls with unpacking for a while before he got bored and went back to his room for a quick nap.

Things were pretty quiet in the evening when Harry woke up and found out that everyone else was in their respective rooms. He knocked softly on Daphne's door.

"Come in." she called.

She was lying in the bed, in muggle clothes.

"You seem to like muggle clothing." Harry commented, sitting down on the chair in front of her desk. He noticed that she had reshuffled the furniture to match the orientation they were in her room in the Head's dorm.

"Yeah. They are quite comfortable, and I think they look good on me." She commented, slowly sitting up.

"They do." He said, and noticed a pink spot in her cheeks.

"So what are you up to?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I was planning to go down to the groceries to get some stuff for dinner."

"You are cooking?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah. It's kind of a routine around here." He explained. "When I'm home, mum usually makes dinner three or four times a week, I cook two times and we either eat out or order takeaway for the remaining days. Dad and I share breakfast duties and lunch is mostly mum and sometimes takeaway."

Daphne nodded, a bit surprised. Her father never even went to the kitchen, let alone cook. After their last elf died, mum volunteered to cook, with Astoria helping whenever she could. She even cooked a whole meal a few times.

"Astoria knows a bit about cooking, but I don't really cook. Should I learn?" she asked, knowing that Harry would be honest with her.

"No need. It's not a chore, really. I like to cook as much as mum does and dad likes to make things for us, but breakfast is all he can manage without burning the place down. If Astoria wants she can cook a meal every now and then. You can help with other chores if you don't like to cook." He assured her.

"I'm sorry, but I actually never asked anyone what your mum does. Is she a housewife?" she asked, a bit embarrassed. Harry laughed easily at her embarrassment.

"No, she works as an independent researcher at the moment and is working on three books at the same time. She used to be an Auror like dad before she was… cursed. After returning from St. Mungos, she couldn't get that job back, so she worked as a researcher for the Department of Mysteries for a while. When she was pregnant with Melanie, she researched independently during her maternity leave. When the ministry started cutting down the wages of their muggleborn employees last year, she left that job and became an independent researcher. Though she doesn't admit it, we all know that her dream is to be the charms teacher at Hogwarts when old Flitwick retires. I guess Melanie would graduate before that happens." He mused.

"What about you? What's your dream?" she asked. Harry smiled.

"I'll tell you later. I'm not sure of them yet. Do you have any dreams?"

"Not sure of them either." She replied with a short laugh.

"So, do you need anything from the shops?" he asked, getting up.

"Why don't you take me with you? I don't actually know what they have around here."

"Are you up for a little walking?" he asked and she nodded.

"Is this an appropriate attire?" she asked, pointing at her clothes.

"They're fine." He said, looking at her t shirt and khaki pants.

"Let's see if Astoria wants to come." Daphne said, as she went on to check. She came back quickly. "She's tired."

"Okay, let's go then." Harry said, walking down the stairs. He held out both hands and a piece of paper and a pen zoomed into his palms. He wrote a short note to his mother and released the items, the pen going back to where it came from and the paper sticking itself to the kitchen counter.

"You never said how you are so proficient in wandless magic." Daphne commented, a little intimidated by the display. Of course, she had noticed him using wandless magic countless times, but since he never did it when anyone else was around or brought it up, she never asked about it.

"Remember how I said before your training that I don't know a lot of spells?" he said, walking up to the street. "It is because I only do European magic when someone is watching. I trained in Asian magic, which is quite different, and more fluid, but difficult to perform. I'm sworn to maintain secrecy on the exact procedures, but as you already noticed, it does not require a wand. I'll see if I can manage to let you in the secret when I see my teacher next." He offered, knowing that he wouldn't probably see Zhi again until next summer. Daphne let the matter drop. There was not much to do if someone was under oath.

They walked down the road and Harry showed her the important things in the neighbourhood.

"That house belongs to Bathilda Bagshot. She wrote our history of magic textbook, remember? She's too old to speak properly now. Apparently she is around the age of Professor Dumbledore's mother. She lives mostly alone, sometimes her great-grandchildren come and visit her.

"That building over there used to be Dumbledore's home when they lived here, now it's rented to a muggle family called Smiths. That is a muggle war memorial over there. And that's the local church, St Jerome's Church. This street is called the Church Street, in fact."

"Is there anything on the other side of your house?" Daphne asked, looking back.

"No, just open country stretching miles in that direction. There is a lake there I like to go often. I'll show it to you tomorrow." He said.

"Sounds good. Is that a pub?"

"Yes, the only pub around here, but it is pretty large. There's the graveyard that Godric's Hollow is famous for. It's mostly magical, with some muggles who were friends of wizards living here buried here as well. Some say it is haunted, but I have never seen anything other than a few friendly ghosts. C'mon. Shops are that way." He led her to a path perpendicular to the one they were on.

They walked for a few minutes before they reached the grocery, the first shop in the street. Harry greeted the old woman who owned the shop and introduced Daphne to her. He gave her a list and came out of the store.

"Obviously, that was the grocers, that shop over there sells sports accessories, but it was originally the workshop of Bowman Wright, the wizarding smith who forged the first Golden Snitch. The shopkeeper is a squib and he sells magical sports accessories as well. That shop over there is a hardware shop, they sell muggle tools like hammers, wrenches and stuff. The next one is an electrical appliance repair shop. There's a coffee shop a few buildings down. The homes in this street are all muggle ones. I'll show you the other streets later, where there are more wizarding homes. Of course, there is the birth home of Godric Gryffindor, but it's not very interesting, just an old abandoned building."

They took the grocery and went back, Harry smiling at a few people he knew.

"Harry, can I ask something to you without being offended?" Daphne asked after a long period of walking in silence.

"Sure. What's up?"

"I know for a fact that the Potters are quite well off, so why do you guys live in a cottage?" she asked quickly, hoping that he wouldn't take offence. Harry gave a short laugh.

"It's mum, mostly. Apparently she thought that the manor dad lived in was too big, so they moved here just before I was born. We still visit the manor sometimes in the summer, when it's nice, but this feels homelier so I don't mind. You don't like it here?" he asked worriedly. Daphne shook her head frantically.

"Oh no, I love it here. It definitely feels homelier than our old house. I was just wondering, that's all." She explained.

They reached home to see Melanie playing with a big black dog while Astoria looked like she was about to pet it. Daphne looked at Harry.

"Is that your dog?" she asked. Harry shook his head.

"Nah, that's just a stray bitch." He said with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"Oi look who you're calling a stray bitch, you little-" Sirius was interrupted by a shriek from Astoria and a yelp from Daphne.

"Oops?" Sirius said, his eyes full of mirth.

"Don't even try to pretend that it was not intentional, Padfoot." Harry commented, putting the groceries on the kitchen counter.

"Alright, I won't." Sirius said. Astoria was still gaping at him and he winked.

"Oh, now I get it. Padfoot." Daphne suddenly said and Sirius did a mock bow.

"Ohhhh." Astoria said, realizing it as well.

"So you are an animagus?" Daphne asked Sirius, who nodded proudly. Daphne looked impressed. Unable to resist a chance to show off, Sirius said, "I've been an animagus since my fifth year at Hogwarts. James too. Not even the git here had managed it that early." He said, grinning at Harry.

"You're an animagus?" Astoria shouted at Harry who nodded. Daphne looked gobsmacked as well.

"What's your form?" she asked but Harry smirked.

"You'll see." He replied shortly, cutting the vegetables. Astoria approached him.

"Are you cooking?" she asked and Harry nodded. "Can I help?"

"Sure." He summoned an apron, similar to the one he was wearing, adjusting it to fit her. "Put this on and get in here."

Lily came out of her room, and joined the conversation between Sirius and Daphne, about how to become an animagus. Lily herself was not as good as James or Sirius in transfiguration, so she never tried to become an animagus, but being a researcher and an avid bookworm meant she had vast knowledge on almost any branch of magic, and it looked like Daphne was seriously considering to try and become an animagus.

Harry and Astoria worked together and talked about quidditch and cooking. Harry explained the cooking routine to Astoria and she asked if she could share lunch duties with Lily and help with dinner. Harry said that she would have to ask Lily, but he was sure she wouldn't mind at all.

James returned home just in time before dinner. The food was delicious, and Daphne and Astoria both praised Harry's cooking skills. Lily and James looked at him proudly and Sirius made gagging noises.

Soon after dinner, Sirius had to go. The others sat around for a while and chatted lightly before Astoria said that she had a ton of homework to catch up on and went to her room. James said that he was feeling tired and went to lie down for a while. Lily summoned Melanie's book and helped her write the alphabet. Harry and Daphne watched her for a while before Harry got bored and asked Daphne to follow him upstairs.

They reached the corner of the terrace when Harry pulled down a ladder that was hidden. He climbed up to the roof and asked Daphne to follow him. The roof was tilted, but there was a flat surface in the middle, where Harry was headed. He sat down, leaning against a wooden wall, facing away from the entrance of the house. Daphne sat down beside him.

"I come up here when I want to think about stuff. Mum and dad understand that I want to be left alone if I'm up here. Till now, it has been my spot, but you can use it too, if you want." He told her and she smiled at him. He was looking up at the sky. It was dark, the stars already visible. There was hardly anything but woods and open country in front of them. An old fashioned windmill could be spotted far away.

"What do you think about up here?" she asked, knowing that it was a personal question, but having a feeling that Harry wouldn't mind. She was right.

"A lot of things, actually. When I was young, I thought about ways to get mum back. Thankfully, that was one wild desire that came true. Later, I used to plot revenge against the Death Eaters who made her suffer. Once that got old and unfruitful, I thought about other things. Those dreams I mentioned to you earlier- I tried to figure out what I really wanted, but I couldn't. I even plotted a few prank ideas against you here." He smiled and she laughed. He sighed. He didn't know why, but he felt that he could spend the whole night listening to her laughter. He knew this was not normal, but couldn't bring himself to care too much about it.

"Sounds like you had a lot of thoughts here." She commented and he smiled, lying down on the wooden surface, spreading one arm beside him and tucking the other arm below his head to provide some support.

"Yeah. I did. Can I ask you something now?" he asked. She nodded. "Why do you put on that mask?" he asked and she stayed quiet for a long time. For one moment, he thought she was leaving, but she laid down beside him instead, resting her head on his extended arm.

"My father was a strange man. He loved my mother at some point, and my mother loved him too, but by the time I was old enough to understand what went on around me, even I knew that there was something missing between them. He provided for the family, bought gifts for me and my mother, but it was quite clear to me that he didn't love her anymore. Astoria was a toddler back then when I first noticed this. He didn't mistreat us or mother in any way, but I could see it clear as day that he was only continuing this because he was supposed to, because it was his duty. He was a successful businessman and bought us expensive gifts, but he didn't even know what Astoria or I liked. He expressed his desire to try to have a male child after his brother died of dragonpox, to keep the Greengrass line going. I don't know if they tried, but if they did, they were unsuccessful.

"Anyway, I was never an outgoing child, and my parents never asked me to accompany them to parties or such. I mostly saw other people when they visited our house, and in front of guests my parents acted like they cared about each other deeply. But I knew it was all an act. Father did care about us, but out of duty, not love. Mother loved us dearly, but in the end, even she was frustrated with the marriage. If they ever argued about it, they did it behind privacy charms, so I don't know. Seeing all that in front of me, I had a very twisted idea about love, marriage and how to act around people. When I first started Hogwarts, I put on that face of indifference you call a mask because I didn't want anyone to become too friendly towards me. Of course, I later learned that putting on a mask when you are 11 is not very likely to affect your marriage, but I also realized that other students in Slytherin respected me and considered me intimidating and I liked it. I didn't have to talk to the fools and I gained the respect of the house without getting involved in the house politics. I viewed all friendships and relationships like I did my parents' marriage: not worth it. I later realized that they were not really the same thing, but by that time, anyone who knew me respected me and I liked that, and I didn't want to suddenly turn to a friendly Slytherin, so kept that mask, and it slowly became a major part of who I am. By now, that face is second nature to me."

Harry stared at her, a bit surprised by her honest answer and even more surprised by the actual answer.

"So I guess you didn't really like it when a handsome Gryffindor kid tried to be your friend, did you?" he asked with a smile and she laughed that beautiful laugh of hers. Not even realizing what he was saying, he heard himself say, "You are beautiful when you laugh."

Daphne's cheeks coloured, but she turned her body towards him.

"Only when I laugh?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and Harry realized that he wasn't even attempting to exercise any control over his mouth.

"No, you are always beautiful." He admitted and Daphne smiled so prettily that he felt his heart exploding over and over again.

"Thank you. And to answer your question, no, I didn't like it at all when this annoying kid kept bugging me without showing me the respect everyone else did. But if I knew what a wonderful person he would become, maybe I wouldn't have been so reluctant."

Harry smiled and turned towards his body towards her as well.

"It's not too late for an apology letter, you know." He said softly, smiling. Daphne had a strange expression on her face he couldn't identify.

"I don't know about a letter." She whispered, her face leaning towards him. "How about this?"

They closed their eyes as their lips met halfway. Harry felt like his lips were burning in the most pleasant way possible, and the warmth of it quickly spread all over his body. He gently put a hand on her cheeks and felt her smile on his lips. He opened his eyes and she did the same, their heads touching. He brushed a thumb over her lips.

"That works even better than a letter." He whispered and she laughed out. He stared at her with a smile.

_He could spend the whole night watching her laugh._

* * *

_A/N: Please review!_


	15. Return

_A/N: So, I'm about to run off for another work trip tomorrow, so no more updates this month. Hopefully I'll get one done by the first week of February. Also, I have been terribly busy lately, and have not had the chance to do this chapter justice as much as I wanted to. So I apologize if the content seems subpar. Also, if anyone is interested in being a beta, please PM me. My beta and I are both terribly busy nowadays, and would appreciate a helping hand._

_Shoutout to **Sir Matthias** for the 400th review!_

* * *

**15\. Return**

"This is unacceptable." A Death Eater said as he was waiting outside the Ministry holding cells. "I shouldn't have to escort dumb schoolchildren around. I have better things to do."

"Oh shut up Noble." His partner replied, annoyed at the older man's moaning. "If you had better things to do you would be doing them. Clearly they don't deem you competent enough for anything more challenging."

"You are here too, Grisham." The Death Eater named Noble shot back angrily and his partner shrugged.

"Yeah but I'm not complaining about it like you are."

Noble glared at him and muttered unpleasant jargon under his breath, which went largely ignored. His wait was over soon, however, as five teenagers were escorted by a guard.

"Here they are." The guard said. "Now get out of here quickly before someone sees you."

"I thought there were six of them?" Noble the Death Eater asked.

"The Malfoy boy was taken away by his father the same day he came in." he informed, his eyes darting around.

"And he didn't bother to take the rest with him?" Grisham asked rhetorically.

"He's a Malfoy, isn't he?" Noble replied darkly, as if that explained everything. And it did.

"So who sent you lot here? I thought you lot were supposed to be undercover?" Grisham asked the teenagers as he motioned them to move.

"Potter. He somehow overturned an ambush and left us stunned near Dumbledore's office." Pansy Parkinson said, looking like she had a sour lemon in her mouth.

"Six on one? That's mighty impressive, even for the son of James Potter." Grisham commented.

"We will see how impressive he is when he plays with the adults this time." Noble snarled.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

When Harry woke up next morning, he felt very content. It took a moment for him to remember why he felt so good before memories of last night rushed back to his head and he smiled. He had kissed Daphne and _sweet Merlin, it felt so good!_ They didn't do anything else worth mentioning, except talking some more and maybe touching each other a bit more than before.

Shaking off the dreamy memories, he prepared himself for his morning workouts. He didn't know if Daphne wanted to join him as they skipped any kind of training till yesterday and they didn't discuss about it. He quietly knocked on her door once he was ready, and when he didn't hear anything, he turned away, letting her sleep in peace. He reached the stairs before she called him.

"Harry?" Her eyes looked sleepy, her hair messed up and her face looked puffy, and he felt like she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

"Hi. I was just going for my morning workout. You can go back to sleep."

"No, I'll join. Wait up."

He went towards her door as she went inside. She took out her exercise attire from her closet and with a smile at Harry, turned towards her bathroom.

"You know what, I'll wait downstairs." He said, and she nodded. He softly closed her door and went down to the kitchen. He found a note in his mother's handwriting.

_Harry,_

_Your dad and I have to go to a recon mission that came up in the middle of the night. We'll be back before dinner. When Mel wakes up, take her to Andromeda and Ted, they had agreed to keep her for the day._

_Love, mum._

Harry fiddled around with the note, trying not to worry about his parents. Mum said it was a recon mission, and recons weren't very dangerous until you became careless, and whatever you might call James and Lily Potter, careless wouldn't be one of them. Lily hated recon missions though. She claimed that she didn't have the patience for it, even though she was quite good in it.

Daphne came down after a while, wearing her sports attire and tying back her blonde hair in a ponytail. She noticed the note in his hand.

"What's that?" she asked and Harry handed it to her. She read it quickly.

"Alright. So what's the plan?" she asked, not knowing how that affected Harry or his routines.

"Same as before. We probably have to get takeaway for lunch, but other than that it's not really much of a difference. I'll have to call Padfoot to see what's he doing when the mutt wakes up."

He walked out of the house and Daphne followed him. He started to jog as he reached the main gate.

"You never told me what was your animagus form." She said, jogging beside him and he grinned.

"I'll show you after the workout. There are muggles in this street."

They jogged through the main street for a while until Harry took a path into the woods. After jogging for another minute, they reached an opening.

"This is where I work out. Let's get started, shall we?" he said, already stretching.

They worked out for close to an hour with small breaks in between. Daphne's routines were a combination of yoga and light free hand exercises. Harry conjured up bars and his workout was similar to calisthenics with a bit of what looked like martial art. They mostly worked out in silence, with some small talks in breaks. Harry sometimes corrected her postures and gave her tips. He tried not to stare at her bum in yoga pants when she was stretching her body, but sometimes failed. Thankfully, he had excellent awareness, so whenever he absolutely could not resist looking, he made sure that she was turned away to the other direction.

Once Daphne was panting like a dog, Harry called it for the day. After the first few days, Daphne never complained about the load he was putting on her. Of course, he knew that he was not giving her more than she could take, but he was still surprised that she didn't protest a little bit even when she was tired as hell. Her steadfast determination was one of the things that he really admired about her.

He waved at her to follow him, walking at a leisurely pace and she followed him. He knew she was tired so he didn't talk on the way and she was thankful for that as she caught her breath. Soon, they reached a lake and Harry held out his hand for her. She looked a bit taken aback, but took it anyway and was immediately glad that she did because Harry was going down the bank to the water.

"Harry where are we going?" Daphne asked in a guarded voice. Knowing Harry, it wouldn't be too out of place for him to announce that they were taking a bath in the lake.

"Oh sorry. I always do this just before stepping." He said, waving his free arm and a small boat appeared in front of them. They climbed onto the boat, and Harry lied down, staring at the sky. Daphne lied down beside him, a little blush creeping up her face as it reminded her of last night.

It was peaceful. The boat was moving slowly, the soft splashes of water coming from every direction except above, where the sun was slowly making its presence known in the blue sky, giving out a slight, comfortable warmth to their bodies. And on the edge of their visions were the trees forming a green line. You could not ask an artist to paint a more beautiful picture.

"Want to see something cool?" he asked quietly.

"Have I ever said no to that question?" she replied with a smile, looking at him.

"I don't think I ever asked it before." He said with a laugh before her turned to lay on his stomach and seconds later, a raven replaced him and Daphne almost fell off the boat in surprise.

"Holy sh- Oh it's your animagus form!" she exclaimed, still grabbing the side of the boat in shock. The bird nuzzled its beak to her hand and she smiled prettily, stroking the neck of the bird. The raven softly nipped her nose before it took off, circling around the boat lazily. After a while, it came back to the boat and turned back into Harry.

"Let's head back. Astoria's awake." He said, sitting up as the boat slowly turned around. She scooted to rest her head in his lap and he gently run his finger through her soft hair, which felt wonderful in his fingers.

"How did you know? That Astoria's awake?" she asked, sighing contently.

"I set up wards for her and Mel when we left." He explained.

"That was thoughtful of you. Tori will not look for us for a while, though." She said and he nodded.

"I know."

"How do you know?" she asked, curious.

"When she came back after Christmas and you weren't there, she used to sleep in your room during the day. I always had a ward up to alert me when she woke up, and she didn't get out of the room at least half an hour after she woke up. Most of the time I found her sitting in bed, staring at nothing."

"I never thanked you properly for looking after her when I wasn't there."

"You don't have to." He said softly, but she shook her head.

"No, I have to. You didn't have any duty towards her except maybe escort her to her common room, and you could've even asked a prefect to do that for you. You took on my role and you did it better than I did at that time. I don't have the courage to ask her, but I think if I asked who she liked better among you and me, I think I might not stand a chance. So thank you for doing that Harry."

"You're welcome. And just so you know, I took care of her for a week, but you have been doing this all her life. Agreed, that I'm much cooler than you, but I don't think she would ever choose anyone over you, Daph. When you are not cursing anyone, you are one of the most compassionate and kind people I know."

His hand slowly reached up to cup her cheek and she had that unreadable expression in her eyes that stirred something inside Harry and he slowly reached down. Her lips parted as her head tilted up in anticipation.

That was the moment when the boat bumped against the bank and the two teens jumped in surprise. Daphne quickly stood up, her cheeks pink and Harry tried to act nonchalant but a blush was creeping through.

He climbed out of the boat first and helped her, vanishing the boat behind them. They walked in silence for most of the way, avoiding eye contact. They entered the house together, and Harry went towards the kitchen and Daphne went to check on Astoria. Harry switched the coffeemaker on and checked the refrigerator to take a stock of breakfast ingredients. As luck would have it, they were out of bread. He was done with his coffee when Daphne and Astoria came down the stairs.

"I need to get bread from the shop. Anyone coming with me?" he asked.

"Can I go? Daphne went yesterday." Astoria volunteered. Harry shrugged.

"Sure. I'll just have to take a quick shower and change." He said, putting the coffee cup down and heading towards the stairs.

"So do I." Daphne said. Turning towards the stairs as well.

"Can I have some coffee?" Astoria asked, looking at the steaming pot.

"It's your house too, Tori. Help yourself to anything you like." Harry said with a smile and Astoria grinned.

"Save a cup for me." Daphne called as her younger sister practically ran towards the pot.

Climbing the stairs together was a little less awkward than before, but it wasn't totally normal either.

"Harry." Daphne called as they passed Astoria's empty room.

Harry barely had time to turn before she pulled him by his shirt and as if by reflex, he put a hand on her waist just in time as she kissed him. He kissed her back quickly before they broke apart.

"I hate it when I get interrupted." She said with a grin before going back to her room.

"Yeah. Shame." He mumbled to the air, as he stood there, gobsmacked, a little smile on his face.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Harry showed Astoria around the same way he did Daphne, and Astoria was fascinated by the muggle village, much more so than Daphne. Astoria had a thing for old buildings, and the many relics of the village really got her interested. Harry told her that it was okay if she wanted to roam around the village later, as it was a pretty safe place and Potters have placed discreet wards all over the village from the first war that were still active.

Once they were back to the house, Astoria asked Harry if he could give her a lift to a friend's house she was visiting later. She could take the Knight Bus, but she really did not like the ride. Harry readily agreed. Daphne volunteered to help with breakfast, feeling a little guilty in letting Harry do all the work. Harry showed her how to use the toaster and Astoria took charge of bacon while Harry took care of the eggs and sausages. After the toasts were done, Daphne went to get Melanie while Astoria served the food on the plates and Harry prepared Melanie's food.

During breakfast, Astoria mentioned that Harry was dropping her off at her friend's house and Daphne said it was okay. After breakfast was over and Harry did the dishes (Using the dishwasher was still something the others didn't understand properly) and Astoria went to her room to get ready. Harry called Sirius to find that he had turned his mirror off. That usually meant he was on a mission as well. Harry wanted to join the missions too, but he knew that the Protectors were a more disciplined organization than the Order, and bringing a non-member would not be something that would be appreciated.

Harry picked up Melanie and held Astoria's hand as he disapparated to the Tonks' home. He dropped Melanie off, exchanged small pleasantries with the elder Tonks and introduced Astoria. Andromeda said that she actually knew her mother, who was three years below her in Hogwarts. Soon they bid their goodbyes and Astoria gave him the address for her friend's home and Harry apparated them there. It was a large Manor and covered in trees from all sides. Astoria promised to wait for him at the gate at exactly five. She went inside and was out of sight before Harry apparated away back to his home.

Daphne was reading the newspaper and glanced at him when he came in.

"So, do you have any plans for the day?" she asked.

"Not really, no. You seem like you have something on your mind?" he asked curiously and she nodded.

"Let's go to the muggle London." She said and Harry shrugged.

"Why not? I don't know all of it, but I know enough to get around. Get dressed then."

"Any suggestions?" she asked, as she climbed up the stairs, and he followed behind her.

"Red usually looks good on you. Try it with light-coloured jeans and red lipstick." He suggested and she laughed.

"I was asking about what kind of clothes should I wear, but thank you for being specific. I'll keep that in mind." She said with a mischievous smile and he hung his head in embarrassment.

"Just wear something casual and you'll be fine." He said, quickly retreating to his own room.

Being a guy, it was needless to say that he came down first. He was wearing a plain white shirt with dark jeans and a pair of sneakers. He thought he looked simple but smart. Daphne came down after a while and she appeared to have taken his advice. She was wearing a red blouse with a deep neckline that showed off a respectable cleavage, making Harry's mouth go dry. So he looked downwards and regretted it. Her light jeans were fitting nicely, showing off every curve she had from waist downwards. Harry tried very hard not to stare and was successful… eventually.

"You're going to wear a coat over that?" he asked,

"Like what you see?" she asked with a playful smirk and he noticed that she had, indeed, put on red lipstick. He knew he was fighting a losing battle and decided not to go down without a fight.

"Very much, blondie." He stepped forward and stole a quick kiss, and was pleased to see the colour spreading on her cheeks.

"Alright, where to?" she asked, pulling up her leg to fasten the laces of her heeled, leather boots, making Harry look away from her. He knew that she was enjoying herself too much for it to be a coincidence and sadly there was nothing he could do about it.

"I don't know. You want to watch a movie?" he asked, silently putting up wards to detect any intruders.

"A what, now?" she asked, summoning her purse with a wave of her wand.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

They ended up watching _Titanic_ and Daphne was too amazed at the concept of a movie to care much about the movie itself. She talked about it all the way as they walked to Piccadilly Circus Square, and Harry had to explain to her all about motion pictures, CGI and televisions as they browsed bookshops nearby. Harry bought her a diary and a fountain pen and she immediately commented on how convenient they were.

"Why do they use quills and parchments in Hogwarts?" she asked rhetorically, but Harry knew the answer to this.

"Parchments are more magic absorbent than paper, so if you want to put spells like spell checking, word counting or even used dictation spells, the parchment will allow you to do it more easily than paper. Quills are just traditions."

"How do you know that?" she asked in wonder.

"When you live with a researcher, you tend to pick up on a lot of stray knowledge you don't really need." He explained. She laughed but claimed that she would start taking notes using her diary and pen from now on and he got her ink cartridges and a few ballpoint pens to go with it. She was gushing about the ballpoint pens when they were getting out of the shop, causing a few people to look at her suspiciously.

Harry gave her a short lesson about popular muggle culture that she should be aware of if she wanted to get around. Daphne took notes in her diary, still amazed at how much lighter the diary seemed to be than the ones she used.

They had pasta for lunch and Daphne insisted on paying, saying that he had paid far too many times to count. They had some muggle ice cream before she discovered a shop that sold bicycles.

"Tori always wanted one of those but father never allowed it. I think I'll get one for her birthday." She said, entering the shop. She was impressed by the large variety of their collection, and chose a red bicycle with a basket in front. She also got other accessories like helmets, knee pads and gloves. The shopkeeper was a bit suspicious at seeing a young girl with so much cash with her, but he didn't comment on it. Discreetly, Harry put impervious charm on the tyres so that they didn't get dirty. They quickly ducked to a quiet alleyway where Daphne shrank the bike and Harry conjured a cushioned box to keep it safe. Deciding to get his gift for Astoria as well, Harry pulled her to a music store that sold CDs and brought entire discographies of Astoria's favourite bands. Daphne knew quite a few bands by now, and she got some albums, recommended by Harry, for herself as well.

They still had half an hour to kill before they had to pick Astoria, so they sat in the Piccadilly Circus Square for a while and Daphne tried to observe the way muggles clothed. The street performers were particularly amusing to her. With a different sense of value of money, she tended to leave large tips to whichever performer caught her attention. A fact that all said performers were quite happy about. She definitely loved the muggle world and wanted to spend more time here, so she wanted to make sure that she understood their customs, fashion and culture. Harry was happily surprised at that because he often found the muggle world more interesting than the wizarding world as well, and was glad that she felt the same.

Soon they got up and ducked to another alleyway but this time there were three men there, standing close and smoking.

They turned to leave and find another alley but a rough hand grabbed Harry by the shoulders and turned him around, pointing a gun to his stomach.

"Looking for something kid?" he asked in a raspy voice. Daphne was reaching for her wand but one of the other man quickly leapt at her with a knife.

Harry didn't have a chance to react before the man was pushed violently away from her and in the split second of shock, Harry used magic to pull the gun away from the man in front of him and knocked them out with weak stunners. He erased the memories of the three goons and held out his hand for Daphne, who grabbed it quickly. Glancing around one last time, they disapparated.

As they reached a spot close to the gate where Astoria was supposed to wait, Harry spoke.

"Thank you for wearing that necklace."

"What?" She asked, confused, before she remembered that she was wearing the necklace that he got her for Christmas. "Wait, do you mean it was the necklace that pushed that... thug away from me? I thought that was you."

"Well, technically I put the protective charm on it, so you can say that, but yes. It was the necklace." He answered and she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Harry." She said and he patted her on the back affectionately.

"You say that way too often. Makes me kinda miss the old you who would curse me every day." He joked and she swatted his chest but gave a chuckle all the same.

Astoria arrived at the gate precisely at five and for once, Daphne was the chatty one as she told Astoria all about the new muggle things she discovered that day. Astoria looked quite jealous and Harry promised her that they would take her along the next time they went to roam the muggle world.

They reached home to find that Lily and James had already arrived home and were relaxing on the living room, a bored Melanie trying to climb up the window curtains.

Lily asked them about their day and Daphne once again rattled on about how amazing she found the muggle world. They chose not to mention the muggle goons. Astoria just hung out with her friend and got to ride a horse. Harry asked about their mission and James replied that it was successful while Lily complained that it was the most boring ten hours of her life. Sirius would be joining them soon and so would Remus as they intended to celebrate James's birthday. The two girls wished him a happy birthday and went upstairs to get their gifts for him. James was very ecstatic to receive a nice set of dress robes from Daphne and a signed Quaffle from Puddlemore Unites, James's favourite quidditch team, from Astoria.

James was still thanking the girls when Sirius and Remus arrived. Harry knew that Remus and the others had a little disagreement about them joining the Protectors, but he was happy to see that they put their differences aside for this day, at least. Sirius brought a large cake and steak and ribs for everyone. Remus brought a bottle of champagne. Daphne and Astoria were introduced to Remus, as they never met before, and Remus caught Harry's eye and gave him a meaningful look. Harry nodded in understanding and took the two girls aside and asked them if they would mind if a werewolf was invited.

"Are they… tame?" Astoria asked and Harry laughed, but nodded nonetheless.

"Are they a friend of yours?" Daphne asked.

"Actually a friend of my parents, but I'm fond of them as well." Harry replied.

"I don't mind." Astoria said with a brave face. Harry smiled at her.

"It's Remus, isn't it?" Daphne asked, a glint in her eyes and Astoria gasped.

"Yes, it's Remus. He is probably the gentlest and 'tamest' guy I know, werewolf or not. He takes Wolfsbane potion before every full moon, so he isn't even dangerous during a full moon."

"It's alright Harry. If you trust him, I do too." Daphne said with a smile.

"Good. Let's get back then." Harry said and showed a thumbs up to Remus to show that they were fine with it. Both girls smiled at him and he smiled back gratefully. Sirius noticed the exchange.

"So you two know about Moony's furry little problem?" he asked with a grin and they nodded.

The dinner was a boisterous affair and there was cake and cream everywhere. Harry had conjured some balloons for Melanie's sake and the little girl was happy chasing them around. Harry smuggled some champagne to Astoria, who never had it before, while Daphne kept Lily distracted. The Marauders exchanged stories of their school days and recalled some of the best pranks they pulled on each other. Daphne was very amused to hear the story about Lily hanging James by the Astronomy Tower. She and Astoria both seemed disappointed that Remus had been offered the position of Defence Teacher at Hogwarts a few years back, but being happy at the job he had, Remus refused. He would've been better and much cooler than some of the teachers they had over the years, Daphne thought. Harry and Daphne shared some of their best pranks on each other and Astoria even supplied a few that they had forgotten. Sirius tried to impress the greatness of being a prankster upon Astoria and it looked like he was making some headway. James and Remus were telling stories involving their alternate forms to Daphne, while Lily and Harry quietly planned Astoria's birthday party that was two days away.

They went to sleep late that night and before going, Astoria asked if it was okay if she made breakfast the next morning, and everyone agreed merrily. Lily asked her to make a list of the people she wanted to invite for her birthday and after a little protesting about no need for a party, she caved easily. Although Lily said she could hand in the list the next day, but Astoria wrote it down pretty quickly and gave it back right away. Lily beamed when she saw that she had invited both Sirius and Remus. She only invited a few friends, and Lily told her that they would hold the party on the Potter Manor, so she could invite more people if she wanted, but Astoria said that she was fine.

It was strange, Daphne thought as she watched her sister talking animatedly with the Potters. She had been in this house for a mere three days and it already felt like home. The meals, the laughter, the love and the house itself- it all felt more like home than her actual home used to. Obviously, she still missed her mother almost constantly, and to a much smaller extent her father as well, but she knew that although James and Lily didn't try to be her parents, along with Sirius, Remus, Harry and Melanie, they definitely felt like family to her. You couldn't choose your family, they said, but Daphne didn't know if she could find a better family if she could choose. She knew that these people that she didn't even know at this time last year, really considered them family. Astoria seemed to have accepted them as family too. Daphne knew that her younger sister was very much taken with little Melanie, and she was becoming increasingly fond of James, Lily and Sirius and she already loved Harry like an older brother.

It was a bit difficult for Daphne to imagine the amount of compassion one must have inside themselves to be so kind, caring and loving to two almost completely strange girls. She counted her luck that Lily Potter came to her rescue when her assholes of relatives came to claim the property hours after they heard about the passing of her parents. She knew Harry must have asked her to look for her when he didn't see her in the Hogwarts Express.

Then there was the matter of Harry himself. She always took pride in the belief that she was an independent woman who could live life on her own just as fine. And that worked out pretty well for most of her life. She used to hate Harry Potter and everything was normal. Then out of nowhere he became her friend, and threw her previously normal life out of the window. Maybe it was the constant war between them, but she couldn't believe that all those years ago she turned down the friendship of a boy who was the most kind, caring and fun person ever.

And now she was pretty sure that she fancied that boy. And she was absolutely sure that he fancied her back. She was quite surprised at herself for kissing him like that in the rooftop or in front of her room, but she didn't regret doing those. She wasn't sure what Harry thought about her after those incidents, but she didn't really want to discuss the matter right now, and by the looks of it, Harry didn't, either.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Neville was growing restless in anticipation. They were at the house that once belonged to the Gaunts. It was the house where Voldemort's mother grew up. And Neville had a bad feeling about it. Dumbeldore had been studying the wards of the place for a while, and unlike the regular magic that Neville knew, ward detection was very boring to watch. Dumbledore would stare at a wall, occasionally waving a hand over it. There was no way to know what was happening unless the Headmaster shared it with him, and Neville did not want to break the older wizard's concentration.

Rubbing his arms to fight the chill in the air, he looked around aimlessly. The place look abandoned and devoid of life. He could actually taste the magic in the air, and for some reason his scar was slightly itchy, giving him a feel of crushing unease. Ever since he learned Occlumency, his scar had bothered him much lesser than before, but every now and then, it prickled or itched irritably, reminding him of its presence. His occlumency teacher, a man called Duncan Roger, told him that he would have to get used to it. Mr. Rogers was hired by his grandmother after he insisted that he really needed to learn occlumency.

The thought of his grandmother brought on a slightly bitter mood. True to his word, Harry had asked James and Lily Potter to talk with the old woman. Neville did not know the words that were exchanged between them and his gran, but he knew it was not pleasant. His gran was red faced once they emerged from that meeting and the Potters had a hard expression on their faces. Neville was afraid that by talking to the Potters might have made things worse, but he noticed the changes in his gran gradually. She had stopped comparing Neville with his father in every possible opportunity, asked for Neville's opinion on a few things, and even allowed him to go on a lunch in Diagon Alley. Of course, he did not tell her that he was going to that lunch with Ginny Weasley, his girlfriend. She did not need to know about that now.

"Ah, I think we can now enter." Dumbledore announced happily, standing back from the wall he was examining. "Tom is very smart, but he is also very arrogant."

"Why do you say so, sir?" Neville asked.

"He is one of the most knowledgeable wizard I have met, but he truly believes that no one can match his knowledge, or wisdom. Wise men never think that."

Nodding at the remark, Neville went forward and pushed the door that had a dead snake nailed to it. The smell inside almost brought back his dinner. Fanning the air in front of him, he tried to ignore the stench and step forward. Dumbledore followed behind him and made a beeline for a trapdoor that Neville did not notice at first. Dumbledore opened the trapdoor and revealed a depressed portion of the floor.

A ring with a large stone sat inconspicuously in the middle.

From the moment he set his eyes on the ring, Neville's scar began to prickle significantly more and he could feel the taint of the darkest trenches of magic from it. He looked at the Headmaster to confirm if it was really a horcrux, but Dumbledore did not appear to be paying him any mind. In fact, he had a fleeting suspicion that Dumbledore's mind was not even present there.

"Uh… Professor? Is that a horcrux?" he asked with a frown at the offending object. For some reason, he wanted to pick it up and put it on his fingers.

"Professor?" he called again, and noticed that Dumbledore was looking at it desperately, whispering something he could not make out. He was slowly reaching out for the ring, looking hypnotized by the artefact.

_Compulsion charm! That's why I want to put it on too!_

He knew that nothing that Voldemort would try to compel you to touch could possibly be good for you and knew that Dumbledore was not in his senses and his hand was almost touching the ring. Neville made a split second decision and tackled the Headmaster to the ground. In his hazed state, Dumbledore drew his wand on Neville, and Neville immediately snatched it away with a reflex that surprised even him. Dumbledore seemed to be in shock, staring at his hand.

"Professor, I'm so sorry but it looked like you were under a compulsion. Are you hurt? Profess-" Neville stopped at the sight of the Headmaster. Dumbledore looked back at him with teary eyes.

"But I can bring her back". The old man pleaded with a broken voice.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Astoria's birthday party was a blast. The Potter Manor was huge with too many rooms to count, and the hall room where the party was hosted was almost as large as the Great Hall in Hogwarts. Lily, James, Harry and Daphne decorated it beautifully and Sirius volunteered to organize the party games and activities. Daphne paid for the food and the drinks, not hearing any protests from the Potters, insisting that it was the least she could do. Remus looked after Melanie, and later played human transport to Astoria's friends who needed to be picked up.

The party itself was quite enjoyable to everyone. There were games, snacks, entertainment, drinks, more games, more snacks, music and dancing, some more games and most importantly, food. Daphne had really wanted this to be a success and she went bonkers with the food. There was British food, there was Italian food, there was Asian food and there were every kind of dessert Astoria liked. Lily was afraid that some kids might throw up when they went home and Daphne slyly replied that it was not really their problem if they didn't throw up here and the two women shared an evil laugh about it, worrying James a little.

As the guests all went home and the family headed back to the Potter Cottage, (Daphne had hired two house elves on a temporary basis to clean up, once again ignoring the protest of Lily) where Astoria would receive the gifts from the family. She had put away the gifts from her friends to open later.

Daphne went first, giving her the bicycle she had bought in her day out with Harry. Astoria squealed and hugged her sister so tight that Daphne had a little trouble breathing. Next up was Harry, who gave the discographies of all her favourite bands and received an almost identical reaction. Sirius and Remus teamed up for their gift (they took advice from Daphne and Harry). Remus got her tickets for a Metallica concert, but the concert was in Australia and Sirius managed a return portkey to Sydney and back. Astoria thanked them profusely, her eyes watery. Lily and James were last and Harry knew that there was going to be some tears, so he summoned a box of tissues beforehand.

"I did some extensive research" James started, being the expert, "and although Lily wanted to get you the one that Harry has, I think this will be better suited for a Chaser that you said you wanted to be. We can always change it, though."

Lily handed her a long package, and Astoria unwrapped it with disbelieving eyes to reveal the latest model of _Comet Supreme_ broomstick. Harry was ready with his box of tissues as Astoria broke out into tears as she hugged the life out of James and Lily, who patted her back soothingly.

"So you like it, I am guessing?" Lily joked and Astoria nodded, kissing the cheeks of her new kind-of foster parents. Harry offered her the tissue box and she accepted it with the biggest smile.

_It was not the biggest birthday party Astoria had_, Daphne thought happily. _But it was damn well the best party she could ever imagine for her little sister._

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The remaining days of the holiday went by quickly. Astoria brought Harry and Daphne along with her to the Metallica concert in Australia, which was the first concert either Daphne or Astoria attended, magical or muggle. They had a great time, though their heads and shoulders hurt afterwards from the loud music and the head bangs. The trio went to muggle London a few more times, sometimes accompanied by James, Lily and Melanie, sometimes by Sirius and other times on their own. They went to the Potter Manor a few times, which had a quidditch pitch where Harry and Astoria could fly around. Harry showed Daphne his training room in the Manor that he used in the summer, and she would too when they came back after Hogwarts. With the help of Harry and Daphne (and occasionally Lily), Astoria seemed pretty confident with her studies, and Daphne took a lot of help from Lily as well. Although she was quite shocked to discover that the laid back, goofy James Potter had a knowledge about Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts so deep that even Lily was hard pressed to match.

Soon enough, it was time for them to go back to Hogwarts, and both Daphne and Astoria felt sad about going back. Daphne knew that the novelty would wear off after a while, but she already missed the cottage when James was parking the car at the King's Cross station. The goodbye was quite emotional and Harry was secretly amused to see Daphne, the most collected person he knew, dabbing her eyes as she hugged Lily. James gave the girls a parting gift: a pair of mirrors that were connected to each other and to the rest of the family.

The journey back to Hogwarts was quite uneventful, with most of the train being empty. Astoria lounged around with Daphne and Harry in the Head's compartment since none of her or their friends were there. Harry and Daphne took her along in the few patrols they made. Harry taught the girls how to use their mirrors and told them the story of how James Potter and Sirius Black used it to talk with each other when in separate detentions. He also decided to share the secret of the Marauder's Map with them, and Daphne was amazed at the magic that four schoolchildren (mostly three, as Pettigrew did the scouting) commanded to create such an item. It almost felt like home with the three of them hanging out together and time flew by before they were already in Hogsmeade station, climbing a carriage.

School seemed a bit tense when they sat for the welcoming feast. Harry gathered from his fellow Gryffindors that three sixth year Slytherins had attacked a third year Ravenclaw and Professor McGonagall had publicly dressed down Snape for defending them. The offending Slytherins were given detention though everyone knew McGonagall had wanted to suspend them at the very least.

Neville also mentioned, confidentially, that two students with covered faces tried to attack him as well, and it was blind luck that Flitwick was coming at that direction, causing the attackers to run away. Neville had reported this to Professor Dumbledore, but the headmaster had asked him to stay on his guard, admitting that there was nothing he could do without knowing who the attackers were. Ginny had urged him to report this to McGonagall as well, but even she knew that she couldn't do much if Dumbledore was not going to help. Once he got Harry in private, Neville shared the story of his and Dumbledore's adventures at the Gaunt House. Harry was very intrigued at the Headmaster's words and even more on the stone that Dumbledore just pocketed the ring instead of destroying it like they originally planned. But the attacks on Neville was higher in his priority, so Dumbledore's shenanigans were ignored for the time being.

School resumed as normal from the next day and Harry continued his training with Daphne as usual. Astoria came over more often and often spent the night with Daphne. Sometimes she wanted help with homework and other times she wanted coffee, but most of the time she just wanted to hang out. Harry had managed to convince Mimsy to serve pizza for lunch during weekends, and once it started to appear in the dining table, it was a big hit and occasionally was seen during weekdays as well.

The stress of NEWTs was affecting everyone in their year. Parvati Patil had spent a night in the hospital wing when she bought a 'memory enhancing potion' from a shady man in Hogsmeade, which later turned out to be niffler piss. Hermione tried to make a study schedule for Harry like she did for everyone she knew (including her ex, Ron Weasley) and Harry had politely asked her to bugger off. Daphne was starting to show signs of stress too as April rolled into May and Harry was reluctant to talk to her unless necessary when she snapped at him three days in a row and then tried hexing him when he suggested that she take a few days off training and workouts.

On the upside of things, Ginny was turning out to be quite a captain as she worked the team hard in trainings and even oversaw Harry's individual seeker training as well. The team was working like a well-oiled machine ahead of their last match of the season (and Harry's last match in Hogwarts as a student). Things were going as normal as one could hope for when it happened.

After a particularly long quidditch practice session, Harry had followed the team to the Gryffindor common room, where he discussed tactics with Ginny for a while before leaving for the Head's dorm. He was planning a new training setup for Daphne when he turned a corner and suddenly he felt the flesh in his back split open and before he could make a sound, something hit the back of his head like a bludger, causing him to black out.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I really am going to leave for two weeks with that. Review to let me know how you feel about that._


	16. Perfection

_A/N: I'm back again! I know this is later than I promised, and I apologize for the delay, but I wasn't happy with the chapter at first and along with my beta __**slucas123**__, had to rework a large part of it. I will try to get back on the usual Saturday routine from next week onward._

* * *

**16\. Perfection**

"I heard you are looking for people with certain beliefs and… talents?" a hooded figure asked, sliding next to a burly looking man. The man did not look at the newcomer, taking a heavy swig from his glass instead.

"Where did you hear that?" he asked in a bored voice.

"From a stray rat I met a long time ago." Came the reply. The burly looking man sharply looked at the speaker. His face was hooded, but a beard was visible. His voice was deep and rough.

"Where did you meet this rat? Sounds dodgy to me." The man asked, one hand slowly inching towards his wand.

"In an interrogation cell that the ministry did not know about. And relax, if I wanted to catch you or your friends, I have the address of your home and your… workplace." The hooded man said and was amused to see the other man's forehead sweating.

"And I should believe you why?" He snarled, wand out of his pocket but still out of his sight. The hooded man sighed.

"No reason other than the fact that I even know Patricia's address, and she is still alive." He said casually, looking around.

"I don't know who you're talking about." The burly man said, now looking deeply troubled.

"Come now, Michael. We all have a mistress or two for recreation, no need to get defensive. Now, here's the deal. I will let you walk free and we will forget that we ever met. In exchange, you give me the address to your pal Rookwood's home. How about that?"

The man named Michael tried to apparate away but realized that he couldn't. The hooded man shook his head.

"Look, I don't want to make a scene, so let's take a walk. I promise I won't hurt you unless you give me a reason to."

Michael agreed immediately. He had three bodyguards who were waiting outside. The two men walked outside and Michael looked around for the idiots, who were nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for the guard dogs? They took a walk. I didn't want to be interrupted." The hooded man said, pretending to not have seen the wild panic in Michael's eyes.

_This might turn out to be fun._ Lily Potter thought, taking a swig of polyjuice potion from a scent-masking flask and grabbing the Death Eater recruiter by the neck, where a tiny needle pricked his skin and injected a potion to his body.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Daphne was getting a bit annoyed at Harry. It was training time half an hour ago and Harry still hadn't showed up in the dorm. He was probably still hanging out with his Gryffindor friends and forgot about training, she thought. Although he never ditched her without prior notice it was possible that he was too tired from the Quidditch training. He did mention that Ginny worked them hard. For his sake, this better not be because he thought she needed a break from training. Because she was completely fine. Maybe a little apprehensive about NEWTs, but otherwise completely fine.

It was way past the curfew and if he didn't return soon, even she wouldn't be able to get out breaking the rules, which she didn't want to do unless Harry was with her. Her annoyance had slowly turned into worry and she checked into his room to see if he had slipped in without her notice. She knew perfectly well that it wasn't possible but was still disappointed when his room was empty.

She went to the Room of Requirement next, wondering if he was training alone. Once again she was disappointed and quite worried when the training room was empty. Harry had explained to her that the Room wouldn't work if anyone else was already using it, so he wasn't here either.

She called him in his mirror, wondering why she didn't think to do that earlier. As the mirror still showed her worried reflection after calling him a few times, she was genuinely scared. She thought about checking the kitchen, but she knew that he wouldn't stay there for this long. Gathering her courage to the fullest, she decided to go inside the Gryffindor common room, alone for the first time. She was met with a few guarded looks as both her Slytherin colours and her Head badge were clearly visible. She looked around and found Neville and Ron Weasley playing chess by the fireplace. No sign of Harry. Thankfully, Neville saw her.

"Um… hi, Daphne. Did you need something?" He asked. Daphne had to try very hard to not let the habit of putting on the 'mask', as Harry dubbed it, in the face of a frowning Ron Weasley.

"Can I talk to you over here for a moment, Neville?" She asked, knowing that Neville was probably the only guy Harry would trust if he was pulling something and didn't want to discuss it in front of the Weasley guy. Neville nodded and got up but Ron Weasley hissed at him, which sounded suspiciously like 'She's a snake!' but Daphne ignored it for now. Neville waved him off and went over to where Daphne was standing, right beside the entrance.

"What's up? Where's Harry?" Neville asked as they were out of earshot. Daphne's heart fell.

"That was what I was about to ask you. Isn't he here?" She asked, trying to keep her worry out of her voice.

"He came in with the team after training and talked to Ginny for a while, but he left hours ago. Isn't he back yet?" Neville asked with concern. Of course, Harry often ventured out in the night, but from what he had told him, he did that to train now, and he also knew that Daphne was aware of his training.

"No. He is usually back long before this, but I looked all over for him already."

Neville thought hard, imagining the places where Harry could be. Everything he thought of at first was somehow associated with pranking Daphne like he used to do all the years before this one, so they had to be discarded.

"Is your birthday coming up by any chance?" Neville asked, hoping that he wasn't ruining a surprise.

"No, my birthday is in August."

Neville was slightly pleased at that because Harry would have kicked his arse if he ruined a surprise. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"Why don't you check that Map of his? The Marauder's Map?" He almost cried out and Daphne slapped her forehead. Why hadn't she thought of this earlier?

"Can you come outside with me for a moment? I don't want to summon it in front of everyone."

"Sure. I wouldn't get into trouble for this, right?" He checked.

"It's alright, you are with me." She assured him before summoning the map. She quickly opened it, but it was blank.

"It needs to be activated." Neville explained, tapping his wand on the map and saying the activation phrase, _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_.

Daphne would've been impressed if she did not have more pressing matters in her mind. They both searched the map before Neville pointed at a footprint.

"There he is, Harry Potter. Looks like he is in that third floor corridor Fluf… that was banned in our first year." He quickly corrected himself and was thankful that Daphne was too worried about Harry to notice the slip up. Quickly they made their way to the door where Fluffy once resided, and Neville opened the door with an unlocking charm.

The room was empty at first glance but staring at the spot where the map said Harry was, Daphne noticed a distortion of air.

"There! He is disillusioned!" She called before casting the counter charm, revealing an unconscious Harry. Seeing the state Harry was in, Daphne's head spun and her breathing stopped for a moment.

"Blimey!" Neville muttered, quickly freeing him of the ropes and the gag. Daphne quickly checked his pulse to see that it was steady but slow. Casting a diagnostic charm that Lily had taught her this holiday, she found that he had numerous bruises and flesh wounds, and even what seemed like a few cracked ribs, but was losing a lot of blood.

"Should we take him to the hospital wing?" Daphne asked with a shaken voice. Neville shook his head.

"Someone clearly attacked him and Harry would kill us if we took him to the hospital wing in this state. Besides, the attackers are still probably out there, and he won't be safe."

Daphne knew that as well, and although she knew that he really should be visiting Madame Pomfrey, she was fairly confident that she could take care of the initial damage.

"Alright, we take him back to the dorm, and I think I can patch him up. Can you please levitate him while I put on some bandages to stop his blood loss?"

While he did as asked Daphne wrapped him in bandages like a mummy because of the sheer number of cuts he had. She hoped they wouldn't leave permanent scars, because that would be a _lot_ of scars.

As they went outside the room after cleaning the blood on the floor, Daphne noticed in the map that Filch was coming towards them and she quickly checked her watch to see that even her curfew was over. She might be able to talk her way out of trouble from the caretaker, but Neville couldn't.

"Neville! Filch is coming this way. You take the map and get back to your common room, I'll take care of Harry." She commanded, already shoving the map to his hands.

"But Harry needs help-" He started to protest but Daphne stopped him.

"If we get caught, we can't help him anyway. You go, I will take care of Harry."

Neville nodded, and after checking the map, he quickly went on his way, leaving Daphne with Harry's unconscious body. She quickly disillusioned him and put a notice-me-not charm on him and levitated him high. With all set, she ran towards Filch.

"You are-" the caretaker started but Daphne quickly cut him off.

"Did you catch them?" She almost shouted, surprising the man.

"Catch who?" He asked, looking around.

"I saw three students out of bed during my patrol and I was chasing them. They went in that direction you came from. Didn't you see them?"

The ruse worked well and Filch quickly hobbled beside Daphne in the hope of finding a student out of bounds. Ironically, Daphne knew that Neville was the only student out of bounds right now, and she was leading Filch to the exact other way he was moving.

"We should split up, Mr. Filch. I'll take that way and you go that way." She said, and was pleased to see Filch nod and take the way that led even further from the Gryffindor common room and the Head's dorm, where she was heading. She just hoped Neville would reach his common room safely.

As she entered her common room, she quickly transfigured a couch to a healer's table. She vanished the bandages off and blood started to pour from him once again. She quickly removed all his clothes except his boxers and tried to be as professional as possible. One by one, she started healing the cuts. She did so with extreme care, very careful not to leave a scar. It took a long time to heal each wound that way, but Daphne didn't care.

Daphne had forgotten to tell the portrait to ask for permission before letting anyone in, so Neville and Ginny came in the Heads' dorm early in the morning to see a horrifying picture. Daphne was leaning on a healer's table, sleeping amongst a pool of blood and bandages and Harry was on top of the table, caked in dry blood but with no visible wounds. It took Ginny all her willpower to not shriek at the scene.

Neville, looking quite shocked, called Daphne a few times before her eyes fluttered and woke with a start. She let out a yelp when she noticed the blood covering her before she remembered last night and quickly checked on Harry. She had healed all the cuts and had decided to rest a little before cleaning up, but she must have been pretty tired because she apparently fell asleep.

"Is Harry okay?" Ginny asked carefully, and Daphne nodded, cleaning up the blood and vanishing the bandages.

"Ginny thought he might need some blood replenishing potions, so we nicked some from the hospital wing on our way." Neville offered a case of vials, and Daphne accepted it gratefully.

"Thank you. I was about to go to the hospital wing to get some myself, but somehow I fell asleep." She explained, as she cleaned up Harry's body and, with a blush cleaned his bloodied boxers as well.

"He was bleeding all over last night. Why doesn't he have any scars?" Neville asked as he came closer. Harry looked pale with a few bruises, but otherwise completely fine.

"I healed them carefully to not leave any scars." Daphne explained, stifling a yawn.

"Merlin, that takes a lot of time! When did you sleep?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not sure. Last I checked the time, it was 5:10. What time is it now?" She asked, casting a Tempus charm. It was 5:45 am.

"You almost haven't slept at all. Go sleep now, We'll feed him the potions." Neville said but Daphne protested.

"No, it's alright. I don't plan to attend any classes today anyway. I'll sleep when he is a bit stable. Can you get me some bruise ointment and a small vial of Skele-Gro? I still haven't healed his cracked ribs."

The two looked like they wanted to protest, but quickly realized that none of them knew how to heal a cracked rib. Daphne brought them Harry's invisibility cloak and asked them to be quick. As they left, she fed him the blood replenishing potions and then worked on realigning his broken ribs. She had stunned him beforehand, because even if he was already unconscious, there was a chance that he would have woken up from the pain.

Ginny and Neville took their time and when they returned, they also brought some food with them, for both Harry and Daphne. Daphne fed the potions to Harry and applied the ointment on his bruises and then reluctantly ate some food. Harry was stable for now, and Neville and Ginny practically forced her to get some sleep. Daphne reluctantly agreed, and asked them to wake her up when they left for classes. They did not look sincere when they agreed, but Daphne was too tired to say anything about it. Before she could lift her legs into bed, she was asleep.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

When Daphne woke up, she felt her blanket on top of her. She noticed it because she remembered wishing that she could summon things wandlessly like Harry because she was too exhausted to take out her wand and do it.

She looked around to see Harry sleeping in the chair in front of her. Silently, she propped herself up but Harry woke up anyway. He set up a ward to alert him when she woke up, Daphne realized.

"Hey you." He greeted her as she sat up.

"Hi. How are you feeling?" She asked.

"A but tired and quite hungry, but completely fine otherwise. You want to sleep some more?" He asked and she shook her head. It was four in the evening, she noticed.

"Why aren't you resting?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I did. Neville woke me up at noon to feed me and told me that you were sleeping after healing countless cuts on my body without leaving a scar for the whole night. So I came to check on you and saw that your upper body was on the bed and your legs were on the floor, sleeping like a rock. So I waited for you to wake up and fell asleep myself."

"I am on the bed and I have a blanket on top of me." She pointed out. Harry looked a bit embarrassed.

"Not the first time I tucked you to bed, is it?" He asked, looking a little pink, and she laughed.

"No, certainly not. I clearly remember that you picked me up and threw me around like I was a book. A number of times, I might add."

"Some might take it as a compliment when they are not considered heavy." He joked, but then his face got more serious. "Besides, it was the least I could do for patching me up for the whole night. I can't thank you enough for what you did." He said sincerely, reaching out a hand to squeeze her hand gently and kissed it. Daphne blushed prettily.

"It's alright. You would've done the same for me." She said and Harry nodded. "Did you see who it was?" she asked, changing the topic.

"No. Whoever it was attacked from behind. They knocked me out before doing whatever they did, so I have no idea who it was. You didn't tell anyone else, did you?" He asked and she shook her head. "Thanks. I don't want to worry Mum or give them the satisfaction to know that they achieved something from the attack."

"Neville figured that you wouldn't want to go to the hospital wing for the same reason, though I was tempted."

"Thank you for that. I wouldn't have blamed you if you did, though. Ginny said you were lying in a pool of blood when they came to check on me in the morning." Daphne shrugged. It was true.

"I will have to find the culprits and make sure they are forced to eat through a straw for a month or two." She said, getting out of bed and heading towards the washroom.

"Sometimes I forget how scary you can be." Harry admitted quietly and heard her laugh from the bathroom. "Are you hungry?"

She came out of the bathroom, her face looking fresher. "Ravenous. Why?"

"Put on some muggle clothes. I am going to buy you dinner." He said and Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" She asked teasingly. Harry grinned at first but his mind quickly told him to grab the chance while it was still on the table. His face turned solemn and he stood directly in front of her. She looked startled at his change in demeanour.

"You know what? I am! Daphne, would you like to go out on a date with me?" He asked seriously and Daphne's face was torn between a laugh and suspicion. She was waiting for him to cry out that he was having her on, but he continued looking at her expectantly, his face completely serious.

"Are you… serious?" She asked carefully, not actually sure if he was joking or not.

"As serious I can be without turning to a dog." Harry replied solemnly and Daphne let out a nervous laugh, still waiting for him to shout 'got you' or something similar. "Well?" He prompted, as she was still staring at him. She finally realized that he was being serious, and it didn't take her long to answer.

"Yes." She said with a smile, her face pink, and he beamed widely.

"Wonderful. You know what, dress up. We are going somewhere fancy." He said and she laughed.

"Alright, but why?"

"Because it's our first date, and first dates should be special." He announced, and Daphne blushed again. She tried to remember the last time she blushed this much one day. It was probably back in… never.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

"How far do we have to walk?" Daphne asked as soon as they appeared in a quiet alley in London.

"A few minutes, why?" Harry asked.

"Just asking." Daphne said with a smile. She hoped her new heels would not hurt too much. She did not usually wear heels, but since Harry asked her to dress up, she had decided to be a little vain. Clearly it was working because Harry had been glancing at her every few seconds and she was relishing his adoring gaze.

As if reading her mind, Harry looked down at her feet and discreetly cast a cushioning charm on her feet. Daphne looked at him questioningly.

"How did you know?" She asked, a little bewildered.

"You were walking on your toes." Harry said with a laugh and she blushed.

"Thanks. I don't wear heels often. I never would have thought to do that."

"It's okay. I learned it from Tonks. She is a family friend who is really clumsy. She complains that cushioning charms messes up her balance. But we all know she doesn't have much balance to start with."

"Well thank you anyway. Where are we headed?" She asked as they reached an intersection.

"This way." He guided her and she noticed a sign reading King Street.

They walked in comfortable silence for a minute before Harry slowed down. Daphne's first reaction was mildly underwhelming. The entrance to the restaurant looked just like any other cosy restaurant in London, albeit being a bit nicer. It was probably the red Gryffindor colours that made it seem less impressive, she thought.

Harry gestured his hand invitingly and opened the door for Daphne, and she entered with a smile. Her eyes slowly grew large as she took in the interior of the restaurant. It was probably the most beautiful place she had ever seen. The place was decorated in warm rosewood furniture covered by vines, flowers and leaves hanging from above. With a soft light coming from above, it looked like a scene straight out of a dream sequence.

"Wow!" She whispered quietly, as she felt Harry gently clasping her hand.

"You like it?" Harry asked quietly. She turned towards him and was slightly amused to see that he looked a little nervous.

"I love it." She beamed and was rewarded with a large smile from Harry.

A man approached them with a smile.

"Welcome to the Clos Maggoire. Do you have a reservation?" He asked. Harry stepped forward.

"I don't, but do you happen to have any seats available? My Godfather, Sirius Black speaks very highly of this place."

"Mr. Black is one of our most prominent customers indeed." The man replied with a tone of respect. "Any friend and family to him is always welcome. We will get you seated right away, sir."

The man led them to an empty seat and a waiter soon came in with the menu.

Harry let Daphne order for both of them, while he chose wine for them.

"This is such a great place! I'm glad we did this." She gushed and Harry looked pleased with himself.

"It's nothing. You just saved my life. Compared to that, I can't do anything that would come even close." He replied sincerely and her smile fell at the mention of the earlier incident.

"I honestly don't know how I managed to keep a cool head. I almost fainted when I saw the state you were in. I have never seen so much blood in my whole life."

"You were outstanding. After I woke up, I checked myself and there was nothing more even Pomfrey could do better than you did. I couldn't have kept a cool head in your situation and performed such extensive medical charms without freaking out. You were truly brilliant." Harry said passionately and Daphne gave a grimace.

"I was scared out of my wits the whole time." She admitted. "I just knew I had to keep going for both of our sake."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked and Daphne sighed embarrassedly.

"Well I have grown to really like you for the last few weeks, and while I am not that superficial, I didn't want you to have any physical imperfections that I could actually prevent."

Harry was quiet for a few moments. It was not often that he was left lost for words but this was definitely one of those moments.

"I don't know what to say." He finally managed, reaching out across the table and taking her hands into his. "I have liked you for a while now, and I can't imagine not having you around all the time."

Daphne was about to reply, but a vibration interrupted her. She took out the mirror responsible and saw Astoria's face.

"Hey Tori, what's up?" Daphne answered her mirror as Harry put up a privacy charm around them.

"Where are you Daph? I have- wait, what are you wearing?" Astoria squinted at her sister, who blushed but quickly covered it up.

"Harry is buying me dinner, and we dressed up for it. You want something? The food is pretty good I hear."

"Sure. Bring some of whatever you are having. When will you be back?" Astoria asked, finding her sister's expression a little fishy.

"Not sure. How about I call you when we come back?" Daphne said and Astoria shrugged.

"Alright. Bye."

As the connection went off, Daphne looked at Harry with an embarrassed smile.

"Tori noticed that I was dressed up." She offered as he took down the privacy charm surrounding her.

"She would be blind not to. You look gorgeous. Have I mentioned that?" He offered with a wink.

"Not in the last ten minutes, but it's good to be reminded." Daphne said with a sly grin, but her cheeks were pink all the same. Harry flashed her a grin before they resumed eating.

"Can I ask you something?" Harry asked and she nodded. "We are going to have more dates, right?"

"Of course. If you want to, that is." She said with a pretty smile that made his insides do funny things.

"I definitely want to." He said with a smile and then continued in a mildly serious tone. "What are you going to tell Astoria about us dating?"

"I don't know. I really haven't thought that far." Daphne admitted. "I mean you kinda sprang it on me to be honest. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more glad that you did, but what made you do it?"

"Well I've fancied you for a while now." Harry admitted, ducking his face to hide the heat on his face. "When we… er… kissed back at home, I thought it was a crush that went both ways. But you are one of my best friends and more importantly, you are a part of the family now, so I didn't want to risk what we have over some temporary fooling around. But when Neville told me what you have done for me, it even further solidified my feelings towards you. I really like you and when you were joking around, I saw an opportunity and I knew that I would be an idiot to let this chance go. I didn't really care if you said no, I just had to take a shot, you know. Fortunately, you didn't say no."

Daphne was quiet for a while and Harry was scared that he had scared her off.

"I really like you too, Harry." She finally said, and relief flooded Harry. "Since I caught that fever at the start of the term, I realized that you are a wonderful person and with everything you have and continue to do for me, you have almost forced me to like you more every day. So it wasn't really a hard decision to agree to you when I realized that you were really asking me out. I can't honestly say that I was hoping that you would ask me out. I'm not sure what I wanted, but I am very glad you did."

They looked at each other before Harry let out a small laughter.

"Damn, I need to hammer up some drywall to get in touch with my masculinity." He joked and Daphne smirked.

"Hmm. I loved your speech, but it still makes you a wuss."

Harry gaped at her. "You gorgeous bitch!"

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Yes, ma'am."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Once the pair was back in Hogsmeade, Harry got a case of butterbeers from the Three Broomsticks for Neville and Ginny. When he climbed his broom, Daphne sat very close to him, and Harry's grip on his broom shook violently as her breasts pressed firmly to his back. She placed her chin on his shoulder, breathing down his ears, their cheeks touching.

"You're such a tease!" He complained, trying hard to remember how to even fly a broom again.

"You want me to move back a little?" She asked slyly.

"Sweet Merlin, no!" He almost cried and she gave him a peck on the neck, causing his insides to go off like a firework.

"That's what I thought." She said as they took off. Harry flew swiftly, not very fast. He didn't want this ride to end. Daphne didn't really mind preserving the moment, but she had something to say about the speed.

"Fly faster, you slowpoke. Have you ever flown over the Forbidden For-aaaagh!" She couldn't finish the statement as Harry took a sharp turn towards the Forest and shot ahead like a bullet.

"Yes, many times. I'll show you around. This speed works for you, or you want to go faster?"

"You can go faster than this?" She shouted, her hair flying behind her, bun loosened by the speed of air. In reply, Harry smirked at first, but then Daphne almost fell off in shock when he took his hands off the broom, gently guided her hand to the shaft of his broom (the actual broomstick, not the metaphoric one) and then in one fluid motion, turned about, riding the broom backwards. Her mouth was open in shock as he hooked his legs behind her, grabbed her waist with one hand and cupped her cheek with the other hand and pulled her into a kiss. She opened her mouth to let him in, and he immediately deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing wildly. She moaned in protest when he broke off the kiss and looked at her with a dangerous smile.

"Hold on tight, because this is going to be one hell of a ride." He spoke to her ears before he turned around once again, not even disturbing the motion of the broom a little and leaned forward. Daphne followed just in time, as the broom rocketed onwards, and Daphne realized with no small amount of incredulity, downwards towards the trees. She let out a scream as the broom went past a blur of trees and branches, and by some miracle, not hitting them even once. Quickly she hooked her legs in front of his legs, not trusting her hands alone to keep her on the broom. Harry rose above the branches and flew just above the surface of the trees. Daphne could see a river coming up in front of them as the Forbidden Forest ended, and a range of mountains beyond that.

"Let's stop by the river." She shouted into his ear and he shook his head.

"That's Bane's territory. He is not fond of humans." He shouted back, slowing down to turn around.

"What's a bane?" She asked.

"Centaur. We can fly over the river for a bit before he starts shooting arrows at us." Harry said, as he slowed down to a regular speed, gliding over the river. Daphne could see a few centaurs in the bank, pointing at them.

"How fast were we flying, Harry?" she asked, adrenaline coursing through her body.

"A little over 300 kilometers per hour, I guess" He replied, flying low enough for her feet to touch the calm water of the river. She took off her shoes, shrunk it, and asked him to put them in his pocket, before dipping her feet in the cool water.

"Turn around." She ordered him. She grabbed the hair on the back of his head and pulled him into a kiss, returning the favour he had done earlier. He had one hand inching down from the small of her back and she moaned, pressing her body into his. One of her hands that was on his thigh was travelling up as his hand went downwards, aiming for her bum, when a 'whoosh' sound went by their ears and Harry quickly turned to see that the broom was almost reaching the bank, where three centaurs were pointing their bows at them. He almost went down to deal with them, but stopped himself just in time. It was not really worth the hassle, especially when they could be expelled for not only going to the Forbidden Forest, but actually crossing it.

With another tender peck on her lips, Harry turned around and flew towards the boundary of the centaurs' territory.

"Wish I could pee on their boundary." He said, frowning at the cockblocking horse people.

"Not that I want you to do it, but why can't you do that?" Daphne asked. She was disappointed at being interrupted as well, but she hid it better than Harry.

"It might cause an inter-species diplomatic problem and more importantly, the pee could fly back to you if the wind is not in your favour."

Daphne laughed as Harry slowly sped up and flew over the Forest.

"This is Aragog's territory. We can make out here because they don't have bows and arrows." Harry joked.

"Who is Aragog?" She asked, enjoying the view and the wind on her face.

"Giant acromantula. Aragog was the leader and he was almost as large as our cottage. He died last year, and I don't know who the current leader is."

"How do you know all these?"

"I'm friends with Hagrid, and he is friends with almost every talking creature in the Forest. He is a good man. Weird sense of aesthetics, though. Reckons dragons and Blast-Ended-Skrewts are cute. Barmy, that one." He said with a fond shake of his head and Daphne smiled.

She almost whipped around when she saw a giant pair of feet below them and Harry was already far beyond it when she turned to have a look at the body.

"That's Grawp." Harry explained, knowing that Daphne had noticed. "He is Hagrid's half-brother. He is a secret, though. So you cannot tell anyone about him."

"He's a giant?" She asked, passing a group of hippogriffs. Harry nodded. They passed over an empty patch of grass.

"Can you see them?" He asked quietly, and she assumed that he was talking about thestrals.

"Thestrals? No. You can see them?"

Harry nodded, but did not elaborate and she did not press the matter. Soon, they were reaching the end of the forest and she could spot Hagrid's cabin when Harry twisted away and landed on top of the Astronomy tower.

She climbed off the broom when he signalled her, and she idly noticed that the broom hovered in mid-air even after the occupants had moved away from it.

"How long is it gonna stand there like that?" She asked and Harry shrugged.

"As long as I wish, I guess."

Harry sat on the edge of the tower and she took a seat right beside him.

"What are we doing here?" She asked curiously.

"Watching the sunset, mostly. Also a bit of remembering when you hung me up from here." He said with a smile and she laughed.

"Yeah that was fun." She said with a grin, but gave him a chaste kiss all the same.

"This is more fun." He said, taking her hand and interlinking their fingers together.

"Oh, I don't know. That was pretty fun, too." She teased and Harry laughed, gently elbowing her sides. She rested her head on his shoulders. "Harry?" She whispered as they saw the sun slowly dipping below the mountains.

"Hmm?"

"This has been the best first date in the history of first dates." She said softly.

"You deserve nothing less." He replied as he put an arm around him. "You are the most beautiful person in the whole world." He said softly and she giggled. "I can listen to your laughter all day. I can look at your smile forever."

"Aren't you a ball of fluff today?" She teased, softly giggling, but her cheeks were pink.

"Don't care." He answered, holding her tightly against him. She let out a content sigh. "Today I don't care about anything other than you." He said, following with a kiss on top of her head and holding her close.

"Me too." She whispered, as she leaned back into him. Their lives were full of ups and downs. Even this morning Daphne fell asleep in a pool of Harry's blood and Harry himself was still bearing the last remnants of a few scars that were slowly fading away. But none of that mattered right now.

Right now, everything was perfect.

* * *

_A/N: Review please!_


	17. Graduated

_A/N: So I have a new beta, **The sous**, along with **slucas123**, so I hope the chapters will have lesser mistakes than before, but go easy on this chap, as it went through some last minute complications lol. Huge shoutout to **Raven097** for the 500th review! I honestly did not expect to reach 500 so soon, so thanks to each and every one of you who have supported the story through reviews, follows and favourites. You all are awesome. I swear I am super busy, and that is the only reason I haven't responded to last chapter's reviews yet, and I will get to that as soon as I can._

* * *

**17\. Graduated**

Daphne and Harry decided to inform Astoria about their dating and Astoria couldn't be happier about it. Although Harry wished that she didn't tell Lily about it. She called them up in a group call and congratulated both of them and James followed. Sirius was the most insufferable of the bunch, dropping innuendos in every sentence and smirking like an idiot. Inside the school, they informed Neville, Ginny and Tracey, who in turn slipped in front of Blaise. They were not really trying to hide it, but they didn't want to make a big deal out of it just yet and Harry didn't want his attackers to find a new target.

Daphne had forced Harry to get himself a bracelet with protective charms like her necklace and he realized that even if he could take on most of the students in a duel, the attackers didn't duel at all. They attacked from the shadows, outnumbering their victim like the cowards they were. He got a metal ring instead of a bracelet. It was bluish grey in colour and although he didn't actually say it, Daphne noticed that it was the exact colour of her eyes.

The last match of Harry's career was as anticlimactic as Ginny could hope for. Gryffindor were 120-30 up as the Chasers were firing with all cylinders and Ginny, borrowing James's tactics, piled five flyers in front for a while, and Ravenclaw soon found themselves 50 points behind within five minutes, when Harry caught the snitch that was hovering right in front of him. It was a landslide victory and Ginny's first as captain. The party in the Gryffindor went on past curfew and a few Hufflepuffs crashed with their Gryffindor mates for the night.

Harry and Daphne didn't get many chances for dates as NEWTs were knocking on their doors and Harry had cut down training to thrice a week. He was still looking around for his attackers and gave Neville a bead to keep in his pocket in case he was attacked again, because Harry's instinct said (and Daphne agreed) that the attackers would try Neville one last time before he graduated.

His instinct was proven right as he felt Neville talk through the bead a week before their exam started. Harry sprinted out of the dorm, shouting at Daphne about Neville being attacked and she quickly summoned his map, located Neville and went towards that location herself. She recognized three names surrounding Neville as fifth and sixth year Slytherins. The others were unknown to her. As she spotted Harry, she was surprised to see him travel at an impossible speed before realizing that he was flying as his animagus form. She quickly followed him, keeping an eye out for anyone hiding.

Harry landed a few yards away from the location of the attack and within a second, six figures dropped on the floor, leaving a panting Neville in the middle, who was fighting all six at once and still holding his own.

"You alright, Nev?" Harry asked as he approached. Neville nodded and took off the hoods of one of the attackers. He didn't recognize him. As Harry came closer, he took a look at the face and he didn't recognize the person, but he felt familiar. Together they began to uncover the hoods of all the attackers and Harry recognized four of them as students, but the other two were unknown. A few moments later, Daphne came in, slightly out of breath. She took a look at the scene and was about to ask Neville if he was okay, but a nagging feeling on the back of her mind made her look back at the map. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she shifted slightly and then rapidly fired off a series of curses to the apparent empty air in front of her. To the boys' surprise, a loud thud could be heard as someone fell over and a pair of shoes appeared in the floor. Harry quickly pulled off the invisibility cloak from the figure and recognized him.

"That's Marcus Flint. He graduated a couple of years back from Slytherin." He said and Daphne recognized him too.

"I think some of these lot are outsiders as well." Neville commented, pointing at the previously visible attackers. Harry went to Daphne and gave her a short kiss.

"Thanks for saving us. I didn't even think to check for invisible attackers." He said and Neville thanked her as well.

"I took the map to look for Neville, so it was partially good luck." Daphne admitted. "Although I think Harry would've been safe as he has that ring protecting him. We should really get all our friends one of these."

"The ring and your necklace only protects from medium level curses and physical attacks. But you're right, we should get one for everyone."

"So we hand them over to Dumbledore now?" Neville asked, not very enthusiastic about that. Knowing Dumbledore, he would probably just expel the students from the school and then try to keep them out of Azkaban. The outsiders would be handed over to the Aurors and everyone knew that the Aurors and the Ministry essentially worked for Voldemort.

"No. I have some business with them." Daphne said and Neville grinned.

"You know what, I do too." Neville said, cracking his knuckles.

"Well, who am I to stop you guys from unfinished business? Tell you what, take them to that third floor room fluffy used to live in, I'll call Sirius to see if he wants to play."

"Good idea. Who's fluffy?" Daphne asked as they bound the unconscious bodies and disillusioned them. Neville floated them and started walking.

"Remember how we were asked to stay clear of the corridor in our first year if we didn't want to face a most painful death?"

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Sirius arrived with James once they heard the whole story. They agreed that giving them up to Dumbledore would be wasting a good opportunity. The Protectors would make more use out of these thugs. James was mildly impressed by the bruised state of Daphne and Neville's prisoners, as Harry led the duo to the room in third floor where the party was going on.

"What a fun gang." Sirius commented, kicking Marcus Flint in the balls.

"I know that guy. He is a thug who lives in Hogsmeade." James pointed at the guy who seemed familiar to Harry.

"I've seen him too." Harry realized, now remembering how the man seemed familiar. "I saw Malfoy and his friends talking to this guy in almost every Hogsmeade weekend."

"So they must have been planning this for a while." Neville commented. "Dude, your girlfriend is kinda scary." He added the last part to Harry.

"You realized that now? After all these years of her sending me to the hospital wing?" Harry asked incredulously.

"You have a point." Neville admitted as he flashed a thumbs up to Daphne, who smiled sweetly before stamping on a face.

"Ah! Young love. The most generous gift of youth!" Sirius exclaimed and everyone stared at him. He blushed slightly. "Alright, maybe I quoted Dumbledore, so what?"

"When did he say that again?" James asked as he rounded up the seven culprits.

"He walked in on me and Brie Stones snogging in a cupboard."

"Which year was this?" James asked, not remembering the incident.

"It was an Order meeting. Harry was six months old, I think." Sirius proudly declared and James slapped his forehead as the three teens laughed.

"Alright kids, I gotta take the trash out. I'll let you know if we find anything useful from them." James said, as he transfigured the bodies to a large dog collar that he slipped over Sirius's head. The two men took a shortcut passage that neither Daphne nor Neville knew ever existed.

"Now that it's dealt with, I can revise in peace." Neville declared and the other two had to agree. With that threat dealt with, they had only their NEWTs to look forward to.

The following day, Dumbledore announced that four students were missing from the school, three Slytherins and a Ravenclaw, and he requested the students to come forward if they had any news or information regarding these students. Harry, Daphne and Neville shared a private smile between themselves.

Sadly, being Head Boy and Girl had their downsides as well, as Harry and Daphne found out a few days before the exams started. They had to escort the examiners and help the teachers to set up the security in the exam hall, as well as visiting all the common rooms to see if anyone needed any help. Harry took Gryffindor and Hufflepuff while Daphne took Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Hufflepuffs and Slytherins didn't require much help but most Gryffindors, as usual, left everything for the last minute and the Ravenclaws, albeit knowing everything by heart, panicked a lot. The two heads returned to their dorms way after curfew.

"I don't think I'll get any revisions done tonight." Daphne announced, after staring at the same spot for fifteen minutes without even registering a word. Harry put away his notes too.

"Me too. I'm too tired to get anything done now. I think I'll go to sleep."

Daphne agreed and they went to their respective beds after a goodnight kiss.

Almost half an hour later, Daphne called Harry's mirror.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't sleep."

"Me neither."

The connection went off and a minute later, Daphne walked into his room, with a pillow in her hand. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Can I stay here tonight?" she asked, a bit nervous. "No funny business. I just want to sleep. With you." He smiled at her.

"If you are sure." He replied easily and she hopped on beside him.

"Will you hold me?" she asked in a tired voice. He didn't reply, but put his arm around her and pulled her close. She let out a content sigh as he kissed the top of her head.

"Goodnight, Daph." He whispered.

"G'night Harry." She whispered back, already feeling sleepy.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Both of them had the best sleep they ever had in each other's arms. As they were both early risers and Harry had paused workouts for the duration of the exams, they had a fair amount of time to do some last minute revisions. They quizzed each other for a while before they were pretty confident, and after a quick breakfast directly from the kitchen, they gave another round to the common rooms, this time switching the houses, to see if anyone needed any help. It was a testament of how desperate OWLs and NEWTs made everyone that a number of Gryffindors, including one Ron Weasley, flocked Daphne and a similar scene could be seen at Slytherin common room, where Harry was surrounded by a hoard of students waiting for some last minute explanation of things they missed or forgot. Astoria, who was also sitting for OWLs, did not need much help as she regularly took help from the two Heads. The Ravenclaws almost got on Harry's nerves and Daphne was pleasantly surprised by how calm Hufflepuffs were. McGonagall and Flitwick had similar ideas when they went to their House's common rooms to offer any last minute advises, and both were pleasantly surprised and proud of the two Head students who were helping out everyone in need, even nervous first years who were scared about their year-end exams.

The exam period wasn't as stressful for Harry and Daphne as they expected. They slept together every night and after a relaxing night's sleep, both had the time to help out others, switching Houses every day, and they were treated like saviours by almost everyone who had an exam to sit for. Ron Weasley even asked Daphne to visit the Burrow with Harry and Neville in the summer and no one knew how to react to that.

Their own exams went great. Harry was fairly confident that he had received full marks in both DADA and Transfiguration, while Daphne was convinced that her potion was as perfect as one could humanly hope to achieve and her charms were not far behind. Hermione claimed that she messed up everything but everyone knew that she would probably be getting straight O's all over the board, so no one paid much heed to her words.

Like a storm, the exams were over, and the NEWT examinees felt a sudden heartache at the thought that their Hogwarts days were over. The last two remaining weeks were enjoyed fully by the seventh years. Harry and Daphne decided that they were done hiding their relationship, and the morning after their last exam, Harry grabbed Daphne by the waist at breakfast, and kissed her on the lips, causing many plates and goblets to drop all around the Great Hall. Due to their immense rise in popularity in the last few weeks, they received a huge applause and lots of catcalls once everyone recovered from the initial shock. People came over from all four tables to congratulate them and even McGonagall was spotted smiling brightly. Dumbledore looked misty eyes as he clapped as enthusiastically as any student.

Daphne talked with Professor Flitwick and they agreed to start her Mastery course from the summer. Unlike OWLs and NEWTs, Mastery did not require you to stay in school or attend classes, so she would be doing it from home, regularly consulting her supervisor, Professor Flitwick in this case, and hence would be visiting Hogwarts regularly until Flitwick decided she was ready to take the exam. The regular time period to complete a Mastery was usually about two years, but Daphne was hoping to complete it earlier, given that a war was going on outside.

Daphne and Harry trained hard after they were done with the exams. Soon, they wouldn't have a chance to utilize the Room of Requirement for their training, so they were making the most out of them. Harry had invited Neville to a duel session between Daphne and him, and he was impressed with both of them. Neville won the duel, but it could easily have gone the other way round. Harry didn't want to show them the way he learned to duel from Master Zhi, so he fought them both with his wand. He won both times, of course, but Daphne landed a few shots on him, which made him curse. He had to endure her gloating because he didn't want to admit that he was a bit distracted by how hot she looked when she was duelling in tight yoga pants.

On their last week, everyone spent their time hanging around with their friends, especially the seventh years. Results came out in the middle of the week and both Harry and Daphne were delighted to see that Astoria came on top of her year. Results in general were better than usual and a lot of students and some teachers credited Harry and Daphne's last minute helps. Of course, the OWLs and NEWTs result would arrive in the summer, so the fifth and seventh years didn't have to worry about the results at the moment.

They had a Hogsmeade weekend which Harry used to go on a date with Daphne. For once, Daphne arranged everything, knowing Hogsmeade better than Harry. She admitted that she liked wandering alone in the village and it was not very hard for her since she didn't have a lot of friends who would ask her to stay with them instead. They went to a little bistro on the far end of the village where Harry never went, and he was delighted to see that the little shop had good food, a quiet and cozy environment, a cordial waiter who was actually the owner's wife, and to top it off, it had a fantastic view of the mountains.

On the last day of Hogwarts, Hufflepuff announced that they were organizing a party open to everyone for the graduating students, and every house poured their resources together to host one of the greatest parties Hogwarts had ever seen. Harry cornered Susan, Hannah and Anthony, his closest friends from the house and they confessed that they wanted to show Gryffindor that they were not the only one who could throw legendary parties. Harry was amused and went to the kitchen to ask the house elves to keep supplying unlimited pizza and they were happy to do so. Professor Flitwick (at Harry and Daphne's request) performed a temporary enlargement charm on the Hufflepuff common room to allow more room for the party. There was food, snacks, music, butterbeer and some smuggled Firewhiskey that Harry and Daphne carefully monitored. The muggleborns and half-bloods introduced muggle party games. Terry Boot of Ravenclaw started to show off his skills in breakdancing and that gave everyone a great idea. The graduates were all encouraged to put in some sort of performance and although most of them just preferred to enjoy the show, some of them really had the crowd going. Hermione Granger surprised the hell out of everyone by rapping to a 2Pac song, and Lavender Brown showed off her pole dancing skill she picked up the summer after her 5th year and that had the crowd going wild. Harry and Daphne refrained from performing, but they danced together a lot, and Daphne even sportingly tried out the Irish jig with Seamus Finnigan at the crowd's encouragement. They all had lots of fun, and even the most uptight students were at least a little tipsy. A little before the extended curfew (Harry and Daphne managed to coax it out of Dumbledore only for the graduates as a last, parting gift to the students) Harry and Daphne escorted every graduate, and some non-graduates who snuck in for a good time, to their respective dorms and made sure no everyone was in bed.

"It's really over." Daphne said quietly, leaning on Harry's arms. They were slowly walking to their dorm, possibly for the last time.

"Yes it is." He replied, taking her hand and kissing it gently.

"I don't think I'm ready for it to be over yet." She confessed sadly, which surprised her. She never had a lot of friends in school, and in the last year, she didn't spend much time with the ones she had. Head duties and living in a separate dorm left both of them out of loop from their friends and housemates. She didn't think she would miss school that much, but now it was over, she was already upset about leaving.

"To be honest, neither am I. I feel like we have so much left to do. I didn't even get to fly one last time around the grounds." He admitted. Daphne patted his back and he rubbed her shoulders in return as they walked in silence for a while.

"Thank you Harry." She suddenly said, squeezing his hand. He raised his eyebrows.

"What for?" he asked as they entered through the portrait hole into their dorm.

"For this whole year. For everything, actually. This was the best school year of my life, and you were responsible for most of it." She admitted as they made their way to her bedroom.

"No need to thank me, Daph. This year was my favourite as well, and you made it my favourite. So thank you too." He sincerely replied. She laughed as they sat down on her bed.

"Look at us being all sentimental and what not. When I first saw you in that Head's compartment, I never would have guessed that things were about to change between us so much." She confided and he laughed in return.

"Tell me about it. I was actually preparing for the worst year of my entire Hogwarts career when I found out you were the Head Girl. I mean, given our history, who would've thought that we could be even civil to each other, let alone being this close?"

"Not me, that's for sure." She agreed heartily, before both of them broke down in another fit of laughter.

"You know, I absolutely love us now, but I'll always miss those crazy fights with you. We were absolutely mental!" he exclaimed, still laughing, and she broke into a fresh fit of giggles.

"Oh Merlin! The number of times we sent each other to the hospital wing…"

"Twenty five." He deadpanned and she stopped short.

"You kept count?" she asked, amused and appalled at the same time. He nodded vigorously.

"We were violent as shit." He commented and she had to agree.

"Yeah, but you ought to add a few more to your tally." She said mischievously.

"What? Why?"

"Remember that time in third year when you your potion exploded on your face and you had warts all over your face _and _detention with Snape?" she asked in a very innocent voice. Harry's jaws dropped open.

"That was you?" he cried and Daphne nodded, trying to look guilty and making puppy eyes at him. Harry stared at her and then broke into laughter, which made her suspicious.

"Why are you laughing?" she asked, frowning.

"Remember that time in fourth year when Peeves bothered you for a month straight? Guess who bribed him with a boatload of dungbombs to do that." He grinned at her outraged face, which quickly changed to surprise as she lunged at him and tried to punch him in the guts.

Daphne had come a long way from the weak (in a strictly physical manner) girl who had no strength in her arms whatsoever. She had worked out for the better part of the year and had a fair amount of stamina that she was quite proud of. However, for all that, her punches still did not carry enough power to really bother Harry.

"Oh wow, a hit of nostalgia." Harry shouted, taking the beating freely with widespread arms. "This takes me way back to another time when a girl of the same name was embarrassing herself while trying to- oomph!"

He went down like a sack of rock, clutching his family jewels while Daphne was smirking at him victoriously. It was literally below the belt, but a good, old-fashioned nut tap will take down any man, and any self-respecting Slytherin had to take advantage of those hanging weaknesses if necessary.

"Looks like that nostalgia hit you pretty hard, huh?" she queried amusedly while he glared at her, still clutching his balls.

"That was dirty. I'm gonna get you back for that." He threatened. "Once the blinding pain goes away." He added as an afterthought.

"Oh stop being a baby." She complained with an exasperated snort. Now it was his turn to be outraged.

"You don't know what you are talking about! You cannot imagine the pain- oh sweet Merlin!" his expression changed abruptly as he felt a cool hand grab his balls and felt a pair of lips on his own shortly after.

"Does this help?" she asked innocently as her hand massaged the area gently. Harry had to focus hard before he found his speech back.

"A little bit yeah." He replied breathlessly. Then cheekily added. "You should try to kiss it and make it better-yeouch!" he yelped as she gave a playful but firm squeeze with her hand.

"Easy there, big guy. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, do we?"

"Wouldn't mind too much if we do." He replied breathily, undoing the button of his trousers.

They did not know who finished first, and to be frank, no one gave a damn about that either, because soon they were laid beside each other, exhausted, but satisfied as hell. They simply held each other and closed their eyes contentedly, smiles on both of their faces. It was Harry who broke the silence first.

"If that's how this goes every time, you are free to gently hurt my nuts anytime you want."

Daphne looked at him incredulously and then both of them burst out in laughter, holding on to each other for support.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The next morning, after their workout and training, they decided to go flying for one last time. They were silent for the whole time, trying to drink in as much as they could of the place that has been their home for the last seven years.

For all these years, they were excited to get out and shape their own paths, but now that the path was so near to them, they wished they had savoured it more. There was an air of sadness in them as they got back to their dorm and packed their trunks.

"I will miss this place." Daphne said to him, picking up stray belongings spread around the dorm.

"Me too. I mean it was nice in the boys' dorm, but this place was brilliant. The private room, not having to wait in line for the toilet, the cosy common room that is never overcrowded: this place was perfect." He said longingly.

"I'll miss sharing a dorm with you." She mumbled.

"Me too." He admitted. "Even before we started to get close, I loved sharing a dorm with you.

"Do you think we should- ah, nevermind." She backtracked on whatever she was trying to say.

"What? We should what?" he asked her but she shook her head in reply.

"Forget it. I just had a stupid thought. That's all." She assured him.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yes, of course I know that. Are you done packing?" she asked, changing the topic. He let the matter drop.

"Pretty much. I wanted to go and check on Gryffindor Common Room. What's your plan?" he asked and she shrugged.

"Might as well visit the dungeons one last time. See you in the Great Hall in two hours?"

"Sounds good."

They put their luggage on the common room of their dorm for the elves to transport to the train and went towards their house.

Harry entered the Gryffindor common room and found a mild chaos. The lions were never famous for preparing beforehand, and as usual, last minute packing set everyone on edge. He found Hermione reading a book (yes, she was that cliché) and sat beside her.

"Hey Mione."

"Harry. All packed?" she asked in a rather thick voice.

"Oh come on, are you gonna cry?" he half joked and she let out a watery laugh.

"Maybe." She replied, only half-joking.

"Don't be a stranger, hey? Send owls. I think we still have the telephone line, so you can call too." He grabbed her shoulder and gave a firm squeeze and she smiled. Harry felt bad for her. Hermione was never a social girl, and Harry knew that he was probably her closest friend in Hogwarts. She had somewhat grown out of the bossy-know-it-all phase, but she still had trouble forming new friendships and getting close to the existing ones. Harry had been her first friend, and since day one, he had been looking out for her. She knew that they would eventually lose contact once they got out of Hogwarts, and had made her peace with that. Doesn't mean it still didn't hurt a little.

"Of course I'll call." She assured him. "Maybe you should come visit me sometime. Bring Daphne as well."

"I'll ask her."

Hermione looked at him for a moment with glassy eyes before she exclaimed, "Oh for Merlin's sake!" and wrapped him in a crushing embrace, her body trembling. Before Harry could hug her back, she let go of him.

"You take care of yourself. Don't be stupid. Oh, excuse me." She ran towards the staircase, presumably to save whatever dignity she still could salvage. Shaking his head at her direction, he made his way towards the seventh year dorm. A lone figure was sitting on the four-poster bed furthest away from the door.

"Hey Nev. What's up?" he asked, but he knew something was wrong. Neville looked hollow and… devoid of any life.

"I broke up things with Ginny." He told in a very small voice. Harry did not let any emotion show on his face.

"Alright. Are you okay?" he asked already knowing the answer. Neville looked at him incredulously.

"Fuck no, I'm not okay." He said loudly. "I'm fucking miserable. She was probably the only good thing, the best thing going on with my life, and I ended that myself." He finished with an unsteady voice.

"Umm, why? What happened?"

"I have to start hunting horcruxes with Professor Dumbledore, and she will still be in school, so there's not much chance of us meeting soon. And then there's the… prophecy. I don't want her to suffer more than she has to because let's face it. There's a very good chance I'm not coming out of this alive."

"C'mon Nev, you're gonna be fine. You're gonna kill that bastard." Harry tried to encourage his friend but Neville was shaking his head.

"Maybe, but I can't take the risk. She is still in school, and if Voldemort thinks he can get at me by hurting her, he won't be hesitant for a moment. Wouldn't you have done the same?"

Harry was at a loss of words. He knew Neville was right. If he was Voldemort's prime target and staying away from Daphne would keep her safe, he would do the same. But that didn't mean seeing his best mate devastated and powerless like this was any easier.

"How did she take it?" he asked quietly. Neville sighed.

"I think she was kind of expecting it. At least that's what she told me. Could you go check up on her?" he pleaded and Harry nodded.

"Do you know where she is?" he asked. Neville shook his head. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"I don't know, mate. I honestly don't know."

Harry stood there for a moment and then clapped Neville's back and then left with a nod.

The map told him Ginny was in the quidditch pitch. He made his way to the stands and saw her flying around. She noticed him and slowly landed next to him. Her eyes were red.

"Hey Gin." He greeted her.

"Heard about it, did you?" she asked nonchalantly, hiding her emotions pretty well. Ginny was always a tough one.

"I did. How are you holding up?" he asked, sitting down. Ginny shrugged.

"As well as I could hope, honestly. I had a feeling that this was coming and wasn't really surprised when he said he wanted to break up."

"You know he still cares about you, don't you?"

"Of course I know that!" she cried out. "That boy is so stupidly noble I want to strangle him and hold him tight at the same time. Does he really think I cannot take care of myself?"

"It's not like that and you know it Gin." Harry gently admonished her. Ginny shook her head.

"But it is! Don't you think I would've been a target to You-Know-Who anyway? I mean it's not a secret that Weasleys are active supporters of Dumbledore. My family is in constant danger either way. Neville is not the only person You-Know-Who wants gone." she ended with a bitter voice.

"No he's not. But he's Voldemort's prime target. I get what you are saying, but can't you see things from his point as well? He just wants you to be safe. Is it really such a bad thing to wish for?"

Ginny was silent for a long time and then her lips trembled. Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close as she finally let the tears fall down her face. He rubbed circles in her back as she cried silently, still adamant on not showing weakness to anyone on the outside.

Harry sat there silently, holding her as she slowly put herself together. She wiped her eyes on her robes and took deep breaths to calm herself. She mouthed 'thanks' to him and he just gave her shoulder another squeeze in return.

"I better go pack." She finally said and he nodded. "You'll write to me, won't you?"

"Of course I'll write. Did you even have to ask?" he acted offended by her words but she just smiled sadly.

"Can't take anything for granted these days."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Soon enough, it was almost time. Harry had tracked down most of his friends from all houses, said goodbye to all he could find and sometimes making plans with the ones he was particularly close to. He found Daphne and Tracey in a tight embrace in the dungeons and came back later to allow them some privacy.

He visited Hagrid and the half giant greeted him with a ferocious hug that Harry thought cracked a few ribs, but he didn't complain. He would really miss Hagrid, and he hadn't spent a lot of time with him this year. Hagrid understood, of course, but Harry felt guilty anyway. Hagrid was one of the most helpful people he knew, and he could never repay Hagrid's contribution in helping to find a Unicorn that would help Lily to come out of the state she was in. Harry promised to stay in touch, and gatekeeper seemed to be enthusiastic about that idea, but Harry didn't know if he could make good on that promise. Hagrid didn't really run in the same circles as him, or too many normal wizards.

Once he met with Daphne in the rendezvous time, they went together to the teachers' room to say goodbye to the professors. Thankfully for everyone involved, Snape straight up left when he saw the duo, without even sparing them a glance, which was fine by Harry. Daphne thought his head of the house could probably acknowledge her, but she was not going to lose any sleep over it.

Professor Dumbledore, who was coincidentally in the room, greeted them warmly, and made no attempt to stop his potions master from leaving. Perhaps even he was tired of his pettiness. Harry noticed that the headmaster was wearing a pair of black gloves.

"I have not said this as many times as I wanted to, but the next pair of Heads will have extraordinarily large boots to fill." The headmaster started with a smile, his eyes twinkling. "You have been outstanding in every aspect of your duties and excelled in every task assigned to you. Many younger students and your classmates have commented that your sessions during the exam time have helped them greatly, and I am very grateful to both of you for that."

Daphne and Harry blushed a little under all the praises that Dumbledore was heaping upon them.

"Thank you, Professor, we just tried to do our best." Daphne said modestly.

"Well, your best has set the bar quite high, Miss Greengrass." Professor Flitwick praised. "Yours and Mr. Potter's performance was something we often discussed here. Most of us" he glanced at the door when he said that "believed that the next Heads would have trouble keeping up with your standards."

"Indeed." Professor McGonagall added. "I was always confident about both your individual brilliance and abilities. You are both intelligent, strong and responsible leaders on your own. But I have to admit that I had some doubts about how well you could perform together, given your… rather decorated history." She smirked at her own choice of phrase and everyone else chuckled as well. "However, never had I been more glad to have been proven wrong. I sincerely wish you the brightest futures in whichever fields you choose to venture."

"Thanks a lot, Professor. It was an honour for us to serve the school." Harry smiled at his teachers before unpinning the Head Boy badge from his robes and handing them over to the Headmaster. Daphne did the same.

"Thank you both. I hope this is not the last time I am seeing either of you, and I want you to know that my doors are open for you any time. Do not hesitate to consult me for anything you need and I will try my best to help in whatever way I can." Dumbledore finished with a small bow of head and the other professors nodded as well.

They thanked the professors and stepped out of the office. Officially, they were no longer students of Hogwarts. They could even apparate home from Hogsmeade instead of taking the train if they wished, but they wanted to share one last train ride with their friends.

The train ride was bittersweet at best. Harry and Daphne were no longer responsible for patrols, but they gave a final round anyway. Tracey and Blaise, like a number of other graduates chose to apparate away, so Daphne sat with Harry, Neville and Hermione. Ginny didn't join them and they all knew why. Ron came by to say hi and glared at Neville, but he looked so empty that Ron went away without saying much.

They kept the discussion as light as possible. In an unspoken agreement, they avoided the topic of war and Voldemort. They did not want to taint this journey with real life just yet. This last piece of Hogwarts was all that was left of their childhood. This train journey was, Hermione thought, a metaphorical one. Once they got off the station, they were no longer kids. They were adults, responsible for themselves, the kid gloves now off, and life was waiting outside the station. It did not care if they were ready to face him just yet.

Hermione made Harry and Neville promise to stay in touch with her. Daphne joked that she would tag along as well and Hermione replied that if Harry kept his promise, she would be connected to Daphne anyway.

Harry tried not to talk too much about the future as he noticed Neville's pained face. He began to talk about their first train ride and the first Hogwarts experience, a memory that all of them cherished dearly. Daphne surprised everyone by revealing that the hat wanted to put her in Gryffindor, but she begged it to put her in Slytherin instead. To no one's surprise, Hermione admitted that the hat was seriously considering Ravenclaw for her, but respected her wishes in the end. Harry was a potential Slytherin, and Neville was moments away from being a Hufflepuff.

"Imagine if we listened to the hat's first choices." Daphne wondered out loud.

"I would've been expelled from Hogwarts for killing Malfoy." Harry deadpanned and everyone laughed.

"I would not have been friends with many people." Hermione admitted.

"I would be a lot dumber, no offence guys." Daphne said with a smirk and Neville snorted.

"I think I would be the same. Triwizard Tournament would've been interesting though."

"Yes, I wonder what Cedric would have done." Hermione mused.

"I think my legendary rivalry with Harry wouldn't exist." Daphne admitted and Harry chuckled.

"I don't know, you always rubbed me the wrong way." He teased and she threw a chocolate frog at him, which he caught.

"Gran would disown me." Neville grimaced and they had to agree that it was definitely possible.

"My life would be terribly boring." Hermione sadly acknowledged.

"You know, if I had the chance to do this all over again, I wouldn't change a thing." Harry declared.

"Hear, hear." Neville agreed.

"Me too." Hermione joined in.

"And me." Daphne finished.

"What, you don't think you could be friendlier with me?" Harry asked, pretending to be offended.

"I could, but I don't wanna." Daphne replied with a grin, causing Hermione and Neville to chuckle at the couple's antics.

Soon enough, the train ride came to an end. Neville was going back to his depressed state and Harry hoped that his friend could stay strong. A lot of graduates were glassy eyed as they embraced their friends. Harry promised Neville to write soon as he took off with his grandmother without waiting too long. He found Ginny and asked her to come by soon. She gave him a tight hug and a watery smile in return.

Soon enough, Lily and James came towards them, having stood at a distance to allow them to say goodbye to their friends. Harry shrunk Daphne and Astoria's trunks and put them in his pocket along with his own. He held Daphne's hand, who gave his hand a light squeeze and turned around to see the Hogwarts Express one last time. And when he turned away to exit through Platform Nine and Three Quarters, he knew that he was turning his back on his childhood, his second home.

Hogwarts was officially over.

* * *

_A/N: My original plan was to finish the story here and then continue the rest of the story in a sequel later on, but your reviews have encouraged me to continue. More of that positive energy please!_


	18. Begin

**18\. Begin**

Harry and Daphne were facing a dilemma. It was not a pressing matter yet, but they had a couple of discussion about the topic and these discussions haven't been fruitful.

Being of age, Harry was thinking about moving out of his parents' house and Daphne wanted to move in with him too. The main reason they were not decided on that was Astoria.

In a frank discussion, Daphne admitted that she didn't feel comfortable abandoning Astoria at this time. If her parents were alive, she would have moved out by now, but the fact remained that however close they were to James and Lily, they were still not Astoria's parents. They knew that the younger girl was quickly adapting to her new family, but Daphne didn't really want to test how she would react if Daphne was not around.

Harry completely understood her concerns and had some of his own as well. No matter how close the Greengrass girls were to the Potters and Sirius, Harry was still the link between them. He knew Astoria thought of him as an older brother and he didn't want to put her through another separation. Daphne found her crying just the other day, and Astoria had admitted that she was missing their parents. Neither Harry or Daphne had the heart to leave her at this time.

There was also the matter of Harry's parents. They have not indicated in any way that they wanted him to move out, rather the opposite. They turned the large, spare room into a training room and library (with the help of some extensive expansion charms) for Daphne and Harry to share, and separate, but connected labs in the basement for both of them. Harry felt guilty to move out after they spent so much trouble for him. Also, staying here was convenient because Harry didn't have a job to support himself. Daphne had her inheritance, but Harry refused to be a freeloader and use up Daphne and Astoria's money.

Of course, not moving seemed like the best solution for everyone concerned, but they both missed living with each other. They still lived together, technically, but they tried to avoid PDA in front of family, and it was getting difficult for both of them to find some snogging time, let alone anything more.

More important than the physical interaction (not that they were not important by any means) was that they missed the privacy of their dorm. Although Harry's parents respected their privacy and did not intrude much, but they really missed the alone time they used to enjoy in Hogwarts. But since moving out was not feasible right away, they had to make do with the occasional dates and a few snogging sessions in their library.

It was in the middle of one of those snogging sessions in the lab when they were interrupted by Lily knocking the door to their shared library. Straightening their clothes, the pair greeted Lily and she borrowed Harry for a chat.

"What's up mum?" he asked, once they were out of the lab.

"Was I interrupting something?" she asked coyly and Harry blushed.

"No." He muttered, knowing that his blush had given him away. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked, hoping to divert the direction of the conversation.

"Are you using protection?" Lily asked bluntly and Harry turned red as a tomato.

"MUM!" he cried, hoping that the earth would crack and swallow him up. Lily looked uncomfortable but determined.

"Look, as awkward as it is for me, I have to make sure that you are being responsible. While I love the both of you unconditionally and would love nothing more to see some grandchildren in the future, I don't want to be a gran so young, and I definitely don't want you to be surprised because you didn't use contraceptive charms."

Harry wished he could claw his brains to erase the memory of this conversation.

"Why must you torture me like this?" Harry moaned, looking for a quick way to die.

"This is a serious matter, Harry. You know unprotected- Oh God I can't do this anymore!" Lily suddenly broke out in hysterical laughter and Harry gaped at her. She was having him on?

"I want you to know that I had the most awkward and embarrassing minute in my entire life." Harry complained, still red in face. Lily took her time to compose herself once again.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry but you should've seen the look on your face." she tried not to laugh again, and was not very successful. "It was hilarious!"

"Oh har har!" Harry mocked with a glare, which Lily completely ignored in favour of laughing a bit more.

"Oh Merlin, that was fun. Anyway, I wasn't here to talk about that. I had something else in mind."

"And what might they be?" Harry asked, irritated. Lily looked completely serious at this point.

"You wanted to join the Protectors, didn't you?" she asked and he nodded enthusiastically, forgetting about her earlier prank.

"Yes. Are they recruiting?" he asked eagerly. Lily bit her bottom lip and looked guilty as she answered.

"Not exactly. However, I had a bet that might help you…"

She explained the situation to Harry and he looked shocked.

"So let me get this straight. You had a bet with Moody that I can last 5 minutes with him and if I manage that he will let me in the team directly?"

"Yes. Of course, if you can't, you will never be able to join them, but let's not be negative."

"Mum, you are the best! Thank you!" he shouted as he hugged his mother. She laughed as she patted his head.

"Make sure you don't make me lose the bet. Moody's never going to let me hear the end of it."

"Well, what does dad and your schedule look like today?" Harry asked, before adding, "Call Sirius too, while we are at it."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

Voldemort was angry.

No, scrap that. Voldemort was furious.

Being an angry man in general, Voldemort being furious was not really a newsworthy information. However, when the Dark Lord was screaming alone in his room, the Death Eaters standing guard just outside suddenly had a strong desire to flee the country immediately. The screams stopped after a while, and there was a prolonged period of silence that worried the Death Eaters guarding the room. They could hear footsteps, so the Dark Lord was still inside.

As they were wondering, the door flew open. Taking it as an order, two Death Eaters went inside. The room looked like a hurricane blew it over. Nothing except the walls were standing in one piece and the Dark Lord himself was standing in the middle of the debris, deep in thought. The Death Eaters did not dare to interrupt his silence and waited until he noticed them.

"Give me your arm." He commanded and one of them quickly went forward and rolled up his sleeve, showing the Dark Mark. He bit his lips to remain silent as the Mark burned when the Dark Lord pressed his long finger on the tattoo. He quickly went back to his place as soon as the Dark Lord released his arm. He stood still as the Dark Lord waved his wand and the room sent back to its previous state within a few seconds.

One by one, the room started to fill up with Death Eaters. Every Death Eater in the country were summoned to the room and some of the Inner Circle expanded the room magically to accommodate everyone.

After looking around to see that everyone he expected was here, Voldemort sat down in his throne.

"Death Eaters, we assemble today in failure." He started and the whole room went deadly silent. "For the last few months, failure has plagued you. Yes, we are deepening our hold on the ministry and building our army of creatures steadily, but you have failed in the most important aspect in our cause." He paused to look around everyone. The nearest Death Eaters were trying to inch away in fear.

"YOU DO NOT INSPIRE FEAR!" The Dark Lord bellowed and everyone except the most seasoned Death Eaters flinched. "The mudblood and blood traitor scum of the wizarding world do not fear you! Every attack you made in the past few months have been cut short or thwarted completely. PEOPLE DARE TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU AND FIGHT BACK! THEY DARE TO ATTACK OUR BASES AND CAPTURE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS!"

Everyone could see the pure fury radiating from the Dark Lord and it was all the newest Death Eaters could do to whimper.

"They dare to attack _our _homes?" he said in a whisper, which was just as dangerous as his screams. "A group of individual pests dare to attack you at your home and what do you do? YOU LET THEM ATTACK YOU! What are you? _Muggles?_" he asked with a disgusted hiss, which continued for a long time. The experienced Death Eaters knew what was happening but a rookie yelped when a giant cobra slithered between his feet.

Immediately, Voldemort summoned the rookie directly in front of him, looking at him with pure hatred.

"It is weaklings like this that ruin the name of the Death Eaters. Afraid of their own shadows! You expect mudbloods to be afraid of a pathetic excuse for a wizard like you? _Crucio!_"

The rookie had never had any experience of the Cruciatus Curse and he screamed his lungs out at the curse and after the Dark Lord lifted it, he broke into sobs.

"Weakness disgusts me. _Nagini, dinner._" He hissed the last part and the nearest Death Eaters tried to look away from the horrific scene as the snake coiled itself around the Death Eater and sunk its fangs in his neck.

Voldemort stared at the scene with satisfaction for a while before pressing on to more important matters.

"Lord Voldemort does not tolerate failure. I will not stand and see the sheep of wizarding world defying my Death Eaters like they were common Aurors. We have to act now.

"Lucius, you will lead a team to Hogsmeade. Take Rabastan with you. Rodolphus, take Avery with you and attack muggle London. Bella, you will be with me as we will pay a visit to Diagon Alley tonight. The rest of the Inner Circle will choose a high profile wizard or witch that oppose us and attack their homes. Is everyone clear?"

The Death Eaters all murmured affirmatively, and the Dark Lord looked at them with an icy glare.

"Do not bother to come back alive if you fail me. Death will be much more pleasant than what I will do to the ones who fail me today."

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The attacks led by Rodolphus Lestrange and other Inner Circle members were swift and destructive. They set up a large area based anti-apparation and anti-portkey wards before attacking, and by the time the Protectors or the few Order members that were still left arrived, Death Eaters had already left a trail of destruction behind them. Lucius Malfoy's attack on Hogsmeade was not as destructive as others, but it was expected, given that Dumbledore himself lived close to it, and anti apparation or portkey wards didn't really stop a wizard like him. Still, the Death Eaters lit up a few shops and homes on fire and Lucius himself set Fiendfyre to Zonko's, and fled before Dumbledore and the other professors arrived.

The Protectors and the Order were stretched thin as they tried to control the damage in the attacked sites. Based on pure instinct, Moody had ordered a few of his men and women to stay behind, in case another attack came on. It was an excellent call as Diagon Alley was attacked after everyone else was busy elsewhere.

Voldemort stood back, ordering his minions to attack instead. Just his presence inspired a fear within the ranks of anyone trying to stand up to the Death Eaters. The first batch of Protectors that arrived on the scene were quickly surrounded by the Death Eaters. They desperately called for help and they were almost losing hope when Moody ordered every Protector to leave the repair work for the Order of the Phoenix and join them in Diagon Alley.

The place was a battlefield within minutes. The Protectors did not fight unorganized like the Order. Most of them being former Aurors, and then trained by Mad-Eye, they fought as a unit, quickly neutralizing the inexperienced members of the Death Eaters. They also wore hooded uniforms to protect their identities, so Death Eaters had no idea who they were fighting against.

Not being one to accept failure, Voldemort quickly summoned the rest of his Inner Circle as well, but made no attempt to fight himself. Both sides suffered heavy losses, though Death Eaters seemed to be fairing a bit worse than the Protectors. It was only after a dark red curse sliced off the head of Augustus Rookwood when Voldemort decided to attack himself.

He quickly engaged five Protector members at once and killed two within a matter of seconds as the tide of the battle quickly began to change. Within a few minutes, four more Protectors fell in the Dark Lord's hand before a new presence in the battlefield could be felt.

Albus Dumbledore arrived with a few Order members and Death Eaters all looked at Voldemort for instructions. The Dark Lord snarled at the old man before he set out three Fiendfyre curses at once and disapparated, just after yelling at his forces to retreat.

The Death Eaters that were still alive fled, some grabbing their fallen comrades, and everyone focused on controlling the Fiendfyres before they spread too widely. Even with Dumbledore helping, it took a while to get the magical fires under control. A number of buildings were burnt to crisp and although it was not apparent yet, it was likely that more than a few people were inside the buildings. In effect, Voldemort's mission was quite successful. The general populace was once again afraid of Death Eaters all around the country, and there was sufficient destruction to make a lasting statement.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

It was well past midnight when James and Lily returned home. Harry and Daphne had taken care of Melanie and put her to bed. Astoria waited with Harry and Daphne for a long time, but she was dozing off after a while so Daphne sent her to bed.

The two teens waited in silence, sometimes pacing around the house and sometimes sitting still, holding each other's hands. They didn't know what was happening out there except for James's parting words "It's big this time. Wish us luck."

Harry dearly wished he could be there with them and make a contribution, but he knew very well that Protectors were very serious about who they were sending off to fight. He would have his chance in front of Moody and he knew he would have to take it. He was well prepared and confident about his abilities, but Mad-Eye Moody was one of the best Aurors the force has seen in a long time and holding him off for five minutes was no easy task.

Harry was going over strategies to fight Moody when his parents arrived. Harry and Daphne immediately jumped to their feet and noticed that James was limping. "Are you alright?" Daphne asked him as Harry quickly went forward to help him.

"I'll be fine. Got hit by a nasty bone breaker from the big fucker himself. Lils patched me up." He said with a grimace as he plopped down on the couch.

"Are you alright mum?" Harry asked, looking at the tired woman who sat down beside her husband.

"I'm alright now. I was knocked out for a while. Kinda lucky that I didn't get hit by anything serious." She gingerly massaged her shoulders, where she landed on when she was knocked out.

"Wait, by the big fucker do you mean... Voldemort?" Daphne asked and Harry smiled despite the situation. Daphne didn't flinch like others when someone said his name around her, but she always had a healthy amount of fear for the Dark Lord and never spoke his name. Until now, that is.

"Yeah. He had big plans for tonight and I gotta admit, it was a big success for him." James said as he accepted the plate of sandwiches Harry handed to both Lily and him.

As they all ate together, James and Lily explained the magnitude of Voldemort's plan and their part in it. James was sent to Hogsmeade where he coordinated with the Order and tried to minimize the damage done by the Death Eaters. Lily was sent to muggle London, where she and her team reached faster than anybody else by simply hailing a cab. They were called to Diagon Alley after a while, and joined the real war there. Dumbledore and the Order took care of cleanup on the other sites as the Death Eaters and Protectors fought it out in the Alley. The fighting only stopped when Dumbledore arrived on the scene and Voldemort fled with his minions. The Protectors tended to their wounded and picked up the bodies of their fallen and the Death Eaters, and went to their base for debrief.

"How many died?" Harry asked gravely.

"Twelve Protectors didn't make it. We got our hands on ten Death Eaters' bodies but there were easily ten more that they took away when they retreated." Lily said, collecting their plates and heading towards the kitchen.

"Let me. You rest." Daphne said as she took the dishes from Lily and put them in the dishwasher.

"Anyone we know?" Harry asked.

"Kingsley is dead. Tonks is injured but I think she'll be alright. Moony got hit with a bludgeoning curse but thanks to his wolfy side, he didn't even need to be treated. Hestia has lost her left arm permanently, and the Death Eaters attacked a few individual houses but most of them survived as far as we know. Among the Death Eaters, we know Avery and Mulciber from the Inner Circle. There were a lot of innocent bystanders that got killed by the Fiendfyres, including Florean Fortescue and Madam Malkin's and most shops in Diagon Alley were partially or totally destroyed. It was horrible." Lily finished sadly.

"Did the Aurors turn up at all?" Daphne asked, back from the kitchen. James shook his head as Lily snorted in disgust.

"Some of them were probably there under Death Eater masks. Not one honest Auror left in the corps by now." James said, trying to fold his injured leg.

"Oh, and Moody said he wants to meet you tomorrow." Lily said, looking at Harry, who was surprised at first but nodded. Losing twelve members from his team would mean he would be looking for new recruits soon. However, it also meant he was mad and might make the duel that much tougher for Harry.

"Can I join?"

Everyone turned to Daphne, who looked a little uncertain.

"Join the Protectors, you mean?" James asked for clarification.

"Yes." Daphne confirmed. "I am not as good as Harry or maybe any of you guys, but I have been training and I think I will be useful out there. Besides, with so many members gone, I think they will need new blood."

"Are you sure, honey?" Lily asked. "We will give our support on whatever you choose to do, but I just want to make sure you don't feel obligated to do it because we all are doing it. You heard what the stakes are."

Daphne nodded in understanding. She knew that they were not being condescending, just making sure she knew what she was doing.

"Yeah I know. The thought of death in battlefield doesn't really appeal to me like you Gryffindors, no offence, but I am more afraid to lose one of you than I'm afraid to die, and the way I think, if there was another wand on your side, it just increases, however slightly, the chances of our victory and hence you all coming out of this war in one piece. Besides, they killed my parents. I'm not gonna let them go without fighting back."

There was a long silence where everyone pondered over what Daphne said. Lily finally nodded.

"I think I would've done the same in your place. Hell, I actually did the same when I was your age. I'll talk to Moody in the morning."

As they all went to bed that night, Daphne went over the instructions and tips Harry gave her in training. If she had a chance tomorrow, she was going to make sure she would not blow it. Trouble was, she kept mixing up the numerous techniques and movement she had mastered in the last few months.

Hoping Harry was not sleeping yet, she got up and knocked his door softly. It opened as Harry looked at her direction.

She explained her dilemma and asked him if she should go and train for a while.

"No, you'll be tired tomorrow and make mistakes. You should get a good night's sleep." He said as he rubbed her back.

"But I'm too nervous to sleep." She complained.

Harry got up from his bed and took her hand. He gently led her to her own bedroom. He gestured for her to get into bed and as she did, he slipped in beside her, wrapping her in his arms.

"This will help us both to sleep." He murmured to her ears and then softly kissed her.

"What if your parents find out?" she whispered back as she snuggled up to him, already feeling calmer.

"I think they would understand. Sleep now. We both have a long day ahead." He said as he kissed her forehead. They both fell asleep within a few minutes.

**Ioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioioio**

The Protectors' headquarters was somewhere in the south. It had a view of the sea and of course it was unplottable on a map. The house itself was simply referred to as 'the base' by the members and Harry and Daphne were impressed with the building itself. It looked like it was a modern muggle office designed by a proficient architect. It was well lit and ventilated but magically obscured so that you could not see anyone from the outside even if they were standing front of a glass window. Lily explained the protective measures of the building as they went in. A sharp looking woman checked their identities with a small crystal that confirmed that they were who they claimed to be. Harry and Daphne's names were added to the guest list for the day and Lily was already a member. James did not accompany them as he required a week of complete bed rest. Sirius wanted to come but he was busy with some Wizengamot business and had to leave after wishing good luck to Harry and Daphne. He didn't know about Daphne but he was fairly confident that Moody would jump on the opportunity to get Harry on his team.

The mood in the base was sombre as the loss of a number of their members hung over them. Many of them had worked together for decades and had formed a strong bond with the deceased members. The greetings were subdued and the few people that talked to Lily did so in a grim voice.

Moody's office looked more like a thrift shop than anything else. It had a bunch of instruments around at least a hundred boxes lying around. One wall had a large map of England with numerous magical markers floating over various areas, thin streams of multi-coloured lights connecting the markers. His desk had a bunch of parchments lying around, but Harry noticed that he couldn't read them. Apparently they had obscuring charms over them.

"Your mum says you can beat me." He said gruffly to Harry as they entered his office. Harry knew very well that Lily didn't say that, but understood that this was a test.

"I just want to get in. Beating you is not my target. Besides, I'm pretty sure she didn't say that." Harry replied. Moody came closer to him.

"Are you contradicting me, lad?" he asked, his magical eye boring into Harry's head. Harry stared right back with a blank expression.

"Yes."

Moody stared at him for a while and then nodded.

"Come on, then. Let's see if your wand is nearly as good as your mouth." He said, as he limped out of the door. Harry followed him to a stair that led downwards. They stood outside a black door where Moody placed his hand over a flat piece of stone. The door opened after exactly two seconds. Moody entered the room and Harry went in behind him and the door locked once he was in. He barely noticed a large magical clock reading 00:01 before he saw Moody throwing a curse at him. He neatly sidestepped it.

"So five minutes is the deal and you start with a cheap shot?" Harry asked, not even bothering to take out his wand. Of course, Moody didn't know about his unique style of magic, but he didn't intend to reveal his trump card so early. He quickly dodged a stream of curses Moody threw at him, trying to look nonchalant, but there was a reason Moody was one of the best Aurors to serve the Ministry in a long time. Harry knew Moody was testing him out before he went serious.

"You talk a lot." Moody commented as he sent a _Crucio_ at Harry. Harry raised an eyebrow as he rolled over to avoid the unforgivable. Seemed like Moody did not like arrogant fighters. _Imagine that._

Harry took out his wand and cast a point shield. It worked like a very small but powerful shield. Apart from the Unforgivables, it could block almost all non-area-based curses, but it was extremely risky to use in a battle as it required pinpoint accuracy of the caster. Harry loved to use it.

The clock said 00:40 as Harry cast the first offensive spell- a stunner. Moody didn't seem to notice it as he avoided the curse without even thinking and fired off an organ crusher at Harry which he swatted away with his shield.

"So there are no rules, right?" he asked for confirmation and Moody threw a blood boiling curse in reply. He could see the older wizard was getting irritated. The clock read 01:00 when Harry cast the first effective spell. He summoned Moody's wooden leg and the man showed incredible balance as he managed to stay on his feet as he hopped on one feet and Harry used that crucial moment to put a jelly leg jinx on him, causing the man to fall down. Out of kindness of his heart, he banished the leg back at Moody, who quickly intercepted the artificial limb from smashing his face, and reattached it to his thigh in one fluid motion. It seemed that Harry was not the first person to think of that strategy. It also led to the question about why he didn't make it unsummonable.

The act, however, seemed to have given Moody some idea about Harry and he was soon throwing curses at a rate that Harry couldn't keep swatting away with his shield. The clock said 01:21 when Harry went on the offensive and he threw five bone crushing curse at Moody's skull and quickly sent a cutter to his legs before sending two cutters to his two hands. Moody's hand was a blur as he was forced to defend the rapid fire from Harry.

01:23

Harry sent two bombarding curses at the floor on both sides of Moody, but not at him. The different directions meant he was going to catch at least one shockwave, but the expert Auror recognized his plans just a split second before the curses connected and he quickly moved towards one curse and shielded it, avoiding the other explosion completely. Harry was impressed at the counter to this tactic that always worked.

Moody quickly sent a group of flying knives speeding towards Harry. Instead of shielding, which would give Moody time to attack, he dropped to the ground and shot off an ice spear as the knives went flying over his head. Harry was pleased to see Moody shielding the spear, letting it fall in front of him.

They traded spells back and forth for a while, and Harry noticed that the ice spear had turned to water, which was exactly what Harry was hoping for. He quickly shot of a series of fireballs at Moody's head and the Auror ducked when Harry played his card.

The water suddenly rose up and encased Moody in an ice sculpture, his wand sticking out. Taking no risks, Harry summoned Moody's wand and looked at the clock.

02:45

He released Moody from the ice and threw his wand back at him.

"You have a little more than two minutes left. Are you up for it?" He asked the Auror and the man immediately jabbed his wand at Harry.

With a 'quack' sound, the wand turned to a rubber duck and Moody's shoulders slumped. Harry threw his real wand back at him and Moody pocketed it.

"I underestimated you." He commented as the clock vanished. Harry nodded.

"I know. I was counting on it."

Harry felt a sense of unease as he noticed Moody was staring at his hand. More specifically, his magical eye was staring at it. He knew what Moody was about to ask.

"I'm under an oath." He said shortly and to his surprise, Moody nodded and looked away.

The pair went back to Moody's office and Lily checked her watch and saw that five minutes were not over yet. She was about to ask if Harry failed, but Moody silently handed her give galleons and Lily's mouth opened in shock.

"Harry defeated you?" she exclaimed and Daphne's eyes widened as well. Moody grunted.

"Lad landed a lucky shot on me. I underestimated him." Moody said as Harry smiled tightly. He knew that Moody would make him pay for defeating him, but he was sure he could take it.

"I'm sure he did." Lily said. "Now that's settled, this is Daphne Greengrass. She wants to join us as well. Should I take her to Talia for testing?"

Moody grunted and pressed a button in his desk. "A fresh fish coming in. See if she can handle it."

Lily nodded and Daphne looked at Harry, who smiled at her. She nodded and with a determined look, turned to follow Lily.

"Alright lad, you have skills and you are vigilant, which I admire. But you are too cocky and arrogant in your fighting and if I didn't underestimate you out there, I could have killed you easily."

"With due respect sir, no you couldn't." Harry said politely and Moody raised him eyebrow. "I'm sure you are a man who knows exactly what you are doing and after you have known me for a while, maybe you could defeat me, but let me tell you this. You haven't seen half of what I can do."

"Is that right?" Moody asked, quite curious. Harry nodded.

"Yes, and I don't plan to show that before it is necessary to do so. But you are right about one thing, I was fighting cockily. I did so hoping that you would get frustrated and make the first mistake. I can afford to do that because I'm fairly confident in my one-on-one duels. I can defeat my teacher in a straight up duel, but that is not even close to how I will fight in the field. I know my weaknesses, and I work on them regularly." Harry explained as Moody sat down and grunted at Harry to take a seat as well.

"I won't lie to you, lad. Even if I was not as vigilant as I should have been, you still gave a good performance and if you say you have more surprises in store, I believe you. However, what I don't need is some arrogant prick trying to fight here just so he can show off his skills in front of the baddies. You and the lass over there can easily get into our ranks based on your skill but I need to know that exactly why you are fighting."

"How do you know anything about Daphne's skills?" Harry asked.

"I can see her." Moody answered and Harry nodded. He had forgotten about the magical eye being… so magical.

"To be honest, I have a bone to pick with Death Eaters. I mean, of course there is the moral obligation to fight evil forces and all that, but I am more driven by the personal vendetta than anything else."

Moody nodded, understanding that need. He could understand a man's need for revenge, especially when they are on dark wizards and witches. He pressed another button and after a few seconds, a sharp faced woman came in.

"Get this lad geared up for level three clearance. Show him around after you are done."

"James?" the woman looked at him with a frown.

"Harry. His son." He stood up and offered his hand to the woman who shook it.

"I'll say. You have Lily's eyes. I am Gwen Richards. Follow me."

They walked out of the office and Gwen pointed at the cubicles, most of which were empty. "Those are the office spaces for level three members. I'll show your cubicle later. These rooms on the sides are office rooms for level two members. Your father has the one right over there." She pointed at one of the offices which looked no different from outside than any others.

"Do you have any office hours?" Harry asked, not recalling his parents mentioning anything like that.

"No. Offices are not used that often unless you have an assignment, and you do it in your own time. Level three members usually need the cubicle to keep their stuff and have a place to sit when they are on the base. Most of them don't even visit their cubicles regularly." She said as they climbed a flight of stairs.

"What's with the levels? What do they mean?" Harry asked as they entered a corridor.

"Rank mostly. Members who mostly gather intel and resources are level four. Fighters are level three. Team leaders and trainers are level two. Level one is for Amelia Bones and Mad-Eye Moody. They are the head of the Protectors. This is the equipment room." She pointed at a door and entered it, Harry following her.

The first room had a group of closets covering three walls and a full length mirror on one side and a bench in the middle. Gwen beckoned Harry over towards the largest closet. She took out a set of uniform that looked exactly like a muggle camouflage military uniform. She signalled him to place his hand on a small square piece of stone hanging from the collar and when he did, the uniform shrunk a bit from all sides. Apparently it resized itself to fit him.

"This is your battle uniform. Double tap on the back of this stone." She commanded and he did, and whistled when the uniform folded itself into the stone.

"Most of us wear this as a locket under our clothes. Some wear it as a bracelet, but you'll have to place it in your cuff when it is expanded. When we are needed, the stone will vibrate until you put your palm on it. It will work as a portkey to the base if you are needed here or in battle. The activation phrase is 'Tom sucks', and don't ask me who set it because I don't know. Anyway, if you are wearing the stone as a locket or as a bracelet, double tapping the back of the stone will replace whatever you are wearing with the uniform. Try it."

Harry put on the stone and the thin chain over his neck and tapped the back of the stone and turned towards the mirror. The uniform was a cross between a robe and a shirt. It was buttoned up with a hood that completely covered his face, but he had complete peripheral vision. The top was not long like a robe, but wasn't short like a shirt either. He had a utility belt in his middle and his boots felt like dragon hide.

"We use the hoods so that enemy can't distinguish one member from the other. Some members like Mad-Eye, use a mask to attract enemies towards him without revealing his identity."

"So anyone can wear a mask if they wanted to?" Harry asked.

"Not anyone. Mad-Eye or Amelia has to approve first. We don't want members to get killed because of false cockiness. You want one?" she asked.

"Maybe later. What goes in these pockets?" he asked, pointing at his utility belt.

"Potions and items you want to keep with you in the battlefield. Most use it to keep emergency medical potions." Gwen explained as Harry tapped the back of the stone once more to revert back to his normal clothes. "Don't let outsiders see it. Usually we only change when we are in the base, but since your parents are members as well, I think you are okay to change from home if you are in a hurry."

Harry nodded. He never saw his parents in the uniform at home, so they took the secrecy seriously. Gwen then led him to the next room which was full of shelves that were mostly filled with cardboard boxes.

"This is our potions stock. Once you are declared ready for battle, you can stock up on anything you want from here. We trust that you will not use them for personal matters but only in battle. I'll just show you where you can find everything so you will know where to come once you are cleared for action."

Gwen showed him around and Harry tried to remember the potions that sounded important to him.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Sure."

"All these arrangements… these are not exactly cheap. Where do you get the money from?"

"Donations, mostly. Light families donate regularly and all of the forming Protector members were Aurors, and were quite well off. Why do you ask?"

"I had this idea." Harry shrugged. "Why don't you loot the Death Eaters when you raid their bases or their homes? I mean this is war, the second ground for everything to be fair. Besides, money and possession we take from them is money they can't use."

Gwen gave a laugh at him. Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Is it really that funny?" Harry asked and she shook her head.

"No, it's just Sirius Black was saying the exact same thing just yesterday. We had to run before it could be discussed properly, but it's funny you would say that. He is friends with your father, isn't he?"

"Yeah. He's also my godfather." Harry informed her and she nodded.

"Well, now that you know where everything is, let's go back and show you to your cubicle."

They went downstairs and Gwen gave him an empty cubicle near Moody's office.

"This belonged to one of our members who lost his life in last night's battle." She explained as she tapped her wand on the small brass nameplate that now said "H. Potter". Harry did not really have anything to put in his cubicle, so he just leaned on his desk and looked around and saw a familiar face.

"Harry! You joined?"

Harry was enveloped in a hug by an excited Tonks and she patted her on the back.

"Of course I did. How are you?"

"You know each other?" Gwen asked, surprised.

"Yeah, we are practically family. Were you showing him around? Because I can take over if you want." Tonks said, already hooking up her arm to his. Gwen smiled.

"Sure. See you around, Harry."

"Bye Gwen." Harry waved. "So which one is your cubicle?" he asked Tonks. She pointed somewhere in the middle.

"Over there. So how come you didn't tell me you would get in?" she asked, leading him to her cubicle.

"I wasn't supposed to join until later, but last night changed things, I guess." He said. Her cubicle had a few parchments with squiggly diagrams drawn in them. She had a photo of herself with her parents on a corner. "How are things with Remus?"

Tonks's smile dimmed. She looked out of the large window to one side of the large room. "Not well. He thinks we had betrayed Dumbledore for switching to the Protectors. We had a few rows, I asked him to keep Order/Protector business separate from our personal lives, but he would throw looks and sighs whenever I left on Protector missions. I finally said that he had to choose between me and his obsession with Dumbledore. He just said that he owed his life to Dumbledore and left. I didn't call him back."

"His obsession with Dumbledore is a bit unhealthy if you ask me." Harry commented, slinging an arm around Tonks, who snorted.

"Tell me about it. So what's up with you? Is the former Head girl living up to her title?" she asked with a leer, waggling her eyebrows. Harry punched her arm.

"You are as bad as Sirius. She's here actually, mum took her to someone called Talia I think."

"Oh cool, she's joining as well? I want to say it's fun, but times like last night kinda shows you that it's really not." She finished sadly.

"I heard you were hit? Are you alright now?" he asked as he gestured towards Moody's office.

"Yeah. Ivanna patched me up pretty well. I was completely fine by the morning."

"Who's Ivanna?" Harry asked.

"Yes?" a young woman turned around and Harry smiled embarrassedly.

"Wotcher Ivanna, this is Harry, our new member. Harry, this is Ivanna, our resident mediwitch. She runs the medical bay over there."

Harry shook hands with her and Ivanna looked at him closely. "Are you related to Mr. Potter? You look remarkably similar."

"I'm his son, actually." Ivanna's face coloured a bit.

"Oh. I didn't realize he has a… well, it was nice to meet you, anyway." She said embarrassedly.

"Same. Hope to not see you in your office." Harry joked as she quickly walked away. "Please tell me I'm jumping to a wrong conclusion." He begged Tonks, who looked like she was trying to hold back a laugh.

"That she has a crush on your dad? Yeah you are jumping to the wrong conclusion." Harry sighed in relief, but frowned when he saw Tonks was working even harder to restrain laughter. "She is a lesbian, actually."

"That's good to know." He commented. Lily came up beside them at that moment.

"Hello Dora. What is so funny?" she asked.

"Oh not much." Tonks replied. "Harry just met Ivanna." She said, trying to act nonchalant. To Harry's surprise, Lily blushed red.

"That's… good." Lily commented as she looked anywhere but at them.

"Mum?" Harry called, very suspicious.

"Oh please can I tell him?" Tonks begged and Lily glared at her, but the meta was grinning broadly until Lily's shoulders sagged, her face almost as red as her hair. "Harry, you remember how I said Ivanna is a lesbian?"

Harry nodded.

"And also how I told you that you are drawing the wrong conclusion when you thought she had the hots for your dad?"

Despite herself, Lily snorted and Harry gaped as realization dawned on him.

"She fancies mum?" he whispered, and both women snorted.

"Only if it were that simple." Lily mumbled.

"Well, she actually offered Lily for a three way with her girlfriend and also said, quote, 'wouldn't mind if you brought your husband along' end quote."

Harry had a desperate urge to stick his wand inside his brain and clean it with the strongest soap anyone has ever made.

"You know Nymphadora, there are certain things about their parents a child could do without knowing, and this is one of them." He said, neatly dodging her punch for calling her by the first name.

"I'll have to tell you more of these, then."

"I think I'm reconsidering my desire to join here." Harry informed his mum, who patted his head, still embarrassed herself. "Anyway, where's Daphne?"

"She went to get her uniform. Did you get yours?"

"Yep." Harry showed his stone which he hid behind his clothes. "Hey, how come I never saw this on you or dad?"

"Oh, you can get it to be invisible when you are wearing it with normal clothes. Just press your wand to the front of the stone and say hide." Lily instructed and Harry did so. As promised, it became invisible but he could still feel it.

"I didn't know that." Tonks commented, but made no attempt to do that.

"So what do I do now? More wandering around?" Harry asked.

"Go to Moody's office to see if you can get tested to be cleared for fighting." Lily said.

"What does that mean? Getting cleared? Gwen said the same."

"It's a test designed to see if you are ready to go fight with a team in adverse conditions. Everyone who gets past the recruitment can fight individually in a normal environment. You have to go through a series of tests with others to see how well you adapt to bad situations and when the odds are against you. Usually new recruits are trained for about a week after their testing before they are sent to a fight, so that they can learn to not repeat the mistakes they did in the test, but seeing how unique your magic is, I really have no idea how things will go. You may be ready to fight within a day or it could take a month." Lily explained. Harry nodded. He hadn't expected to be thrown to a battle immediately, but he also wanted to start finishing off Death Eaters as soon as possible.

"Well no point standing around, then." Tonks said, shoving Harry. "Go and see what Moody says."

Harry went towards Moody's room and he asked Harry to come in before he knocked the door. Moody pointed at the chair in front of his desk.

"So I got my uniform. I have to be cleared for action, from what I gathered." Harry said.

"Aye. What did you think of the uniform?" Moody asked. Harry looked a bit surprised.

"Are you asking my opinion, or just want me to act impressed?"

"Your opinion. I am one of the leaders of this organization and let me tell you this, no leader can succeed in the long run if they don't value the opinion of the people they are leading. The uniform was changed from plain grey to this when your mum convinced me that muggle military use this and would be more effective in battle. So what do you think? Any room for improvement?"

Harry thought for a few seconds. "I have one. What you are using is the jungle camouflage. It works excellent when you are hiding in woods. It can work alright in the dark as well, but when you are up in the middle of the street, it will stand out instead of blending in. Modern muggle forces use urban camouflage for fighting in cities. So I would suggest you put different modes on the uniforms, adapting the design to its surroundings. There are a number of types of camouflage in the muggle world, all for different surroundings. And of course you can make it faded black for missions in the dark."

Moody nodded and noted it down on a parchment. "Anything else?"

"Not at the moment." Harry said. "I will get back to you if I think of something."

Moody grunted and pressed another button and Tonks came in. He asked her to take Harry to the testing arena, and Harry followed her.

"Any tips?" he asked as they stood outside a giant metal gate.

"Be instinctive. Don't overthink, don't hesitate." She replied shortly as she beckoned him to go on.

"You won't come in?"

"Nope. Good luck."

She turned and went away, leaving Harry alone.

Taking a deep breath, he went in.

* * *

_A/N: Shout out to my betas **slucas123 **and **the sous**. I am very sorry that I can not reply to the reviews at the moment since I'm working insane hours at work, but I promise I will get to it very soon. Please keep on reviewing._


End file.
